Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Councilors hung up on cell-phone bill snafu

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 04:58:16 -0400

Councilors hung up on cell-phone bill snafu
By CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, Sun Staff

LOWELL Concerned that a former city employee's use of a city cell phone for 14 months
after he resigned for another job could signal a bigger problem, the City Council wants a
full report on how many cell phones are used by city employees and how much the phones
cost taxpayers.

The request for the report to City Manager John Cox came from Councilor Rodney Elliott,
chairman of the council's finance subcommittee.

Elliott said the report is needed after Cox learned just a couple weeks ago that Patrick
Cook, the Police Department's former communications chief and now district director to
U.S. Rep. Martin Meehan, used a city cell phone for more than a year after going to work
for Meehan.

Typically, city employees turn in their cell phones when they leave to take new jobs. In
Cook's case, however, Susan LeMay, the city's telecommunication's manager, agreed to let
him keep the same phone as a convenience when he left to work for Meehan in February 2002,
with the understanding that the billing would be switched.

The switch, however, didn't take place until last month, after the phone arrangement was
brought to the attention of acting Police Superintendent Dennis Cormier, who notified Cox.

The city is expected to be reimbursed about $4,600. No one accused Cook of any wrongdoing,
but the episode does point to what could be perceived as lax oversight at the Police
Department, Elliott said.

Elliott said better oversight is "unquestionably" needed, particularly at the Police
Department.

Noting that each department receives and pays cell-phone bills, Elliott said: "Someone in
the Police Department obviously was not looking at the bills."
No councilor objected to Elliott's comments and request for the report.
Elliott wants specifics on precisely how many city employees have a city phone, who
receives the bills, and who inspects them.

Cook sent e-mails to LeMay and spoke to her about switching the billing beginning in
December 2001, when he learned he'd be leaving the city. He kept copies of the e-mails he
sent LeMay, along with her responses, in which she said she was working with the phone
company, Nextel, to change the billing.
Cox called the episode: "A simple snafu, a breakdown in communication."

In other business last night, councilors:
Approved a new agreement with the Chelmsford through which a portion of the town's sewage
will be processed at the city's wastewater treatment plant. The agreement will generate
more than $300,000 for city coffers.

Transferred $100,000 from various departments' salary accounts to the Department of Public
Works to cover unanticipated costs due to the severe winter, including maintenance of
snow-removal equipment and tree service.
http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1413,105~4761~1329786,00.html

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