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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Salt Lake County employees can continue to use drive and talk -- at least for now.
Yesterday, the Salt Lake County Council rejected prohibiting employees to use cell phones for county business while driving. However, Mayor Peter Corroon intends to enact the measure by executive order as early as next week.
Council members who opposed the cell ban said the ordinance would be too different to enforce. However, Councilman Randy Horiuchi says if the law is on the books it would force county personnel to have "some conscience."
The council did, however, approve to get rid of the existing cell-phone policy. Which means employees -- not the government -- will be responsible for buying cell phones.
Employees whose duties require frequent cell phone use will be eligible for a cell-phone allowance, while others may submit expenses for reimbursement.
Currently, the county has around 750 cell phones, which costs one (M)million dollars a year.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
