By Sabrina Cardin
AMESBURY — Cell phones have become a common perk for some high-ranking public employees, but Amesbury taxpayers are paying for some of the most expensive and sophisticated types of cell phone services offered.
iPhones and Blackberries — devices that also provide Internet, e-mail and, in some cases, GPS navigation — are among the cell phones that Amesbury provides to 30 employees free of charge. The monthly charges for those high-end phones range from $82 to $133 per month.
In contrast, Newburyport provides simpler cell phones to employees at a cost of $13.50 to $47 each, and has only one sophisticated cell phone that costs more than $100 per month.
In response to a Daily News request for public documents, Amesbury released information on nine of the 30 employees who are provided with cell phones. Five of the nine have high-end cell phones. Youth Director Kathleen Crowley, fire Chief Jon Brickett, Department of Public Works Director Rob Desmarais and MIS Director Anne Verret-Speck are all among the long list of department heads with high-tech cell phones featuring the latest technology.
Mayor Thatcher Kezer, who has an iPhone for which the town pays $97 a month, said he's often out of the office and the phone keeps him in close touch.
"My cell phone is not just a phone, it has Internet and schedules. The flexibility of being able to check my e-mail while in line for coffee is important for getting my job done; some of us have 24-hour jobs," Kezer said.
The nine bills come from a variety of different service plans and cost a total of $612 per month.
In contrast, Newburyport provides cell phones to 53 employees and receives significant discounts by paying for all of them under one Sprint plan, according to records provided by the city. The city's total bill for all 53 phones is $1,831.66 per month.
Only two Newburyport employees, the MIS director and the police marshal, have a Blackberry at a cost of $129.46 per month each. There are no iPhones.
Mayor John Moak doesn't have a city-issued cell phone. He pays for his own service. Moak said he views his cell phone as something "best just to keep it separate."
"This way, if I have to use it to call my wife or my children, I don't feel guilty having to do that," Moak said. "I just have always felt I'd like to have a sense of privacy over those."
Of the bills received from Amesbury, Crowley had the highest monthly bill of $132.78. Her plan includes $10 monthly navigation service, $90 monthly for a calling plan and $29.99 for a data plan.
When asked about the inclusion of navigation on town-issued cell phones, Kezer said, "Basically your cell phone is not a cell phone anymore, it's your electronic connection to the world. All your functions are now on one device."
Not all employees have high bills. Town Planner Nipun Jain and Health Agent Sharon White have inexpensive phones — Jain's is $25.82 per month and White's phone is $14.23.
In early January Kezer released a memorandum explaining the need to "contract spending" due to local aid cuts. The memorandum cites only mandatory spending will be allowed and departments and divisions should work to control spending on overtime, utilities, professional development, consultants, new equipment, etc. Cell phone spending was not mentioned.
The memorandum continues with "Any spending that is necessary beyond the minimum to maintain essential operations require review at the CFO level."
Amesbury's Chief Financial Officer Mike Basque provided a list of employee positions that have cell phones. The list included the DPW director, deputy director, town engineer, two mechanics, two foremen, heavy equipment operator, water meter repair, water meter operations tech, chief operator, assistant chief operator, repair maintenance, youth services, mis director, network coordinator, mayor, town planner, health agent, public health nurse and animal control officer.
Guidelines for town-issued phones in Amesbury are not listed in detail anywhere. Although phones are specifically used for working purposes, Kezer said he does not object to limited personal calls.
"As long as people's personal lives are not taking over their work lives, a few calls are OK," he said.
Which phone and plan an employee receives depends upon the demands of their position. Kezer cited Department of Public Works positions as an example of a good choice for town-issued phone use because they are constantly traveling.
"They are often out of the office and are based all over town; their positions need to be in continual contact," he said.
In recent years cell phone use and spending has expanded well over landline use. A 2007 federal survey cited average annual spending on cell phone services per consumer unit increased from $210 in 2001 to $686 in 2007. In 2001, consumers devoted 23.0 percent of annual phone expenditures to cell phone services and by 2007 cell phone services accounted for almost 55 percent of residential annual telephone expenditures.
"We are not tied to a production line from 9 to 5 anymore. This is the information era and the information travels with me," Kezer said.
Town planner — Nextel $25.82 a month
Health nurse — Nextel $59.24 a month
Health agent — Nextel $14.23
Building inspector — Verizon $35.20
Youth director — Verizon Blackberry $132.78 a month
Fire chief — Verizon Blackberry $81.73 a month
DPW director — AT&T iPhone $91.97 a month
MIS director — AT&T iPhone $74.70 a month
Mayor — AT&T iPhone $96.51 a month
