Arvada Ends Clothing Allowances For Desk Workers Following CBS4 Investigation
By Brian Maass
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - The City of Arvada will no longer provide clothing allowances for some of its office workers after a CBS4 investigation began asking questions about the unusual policy.
"I think it was with the best of intentions," said Arvada spokeswoman Maria Vanderkolk.
Earlier this year CBS4 learned the city had been using taxpayer dollars to buy dress clothes including slacks, high heels, dress shirts and the like for two workers in Arvada's utility billing division. Workers had been given a $350 annual clothing allowance to buy themselves office clothes.
They would usually shop on the taxpayers dime at department stores like Macy's, New York and Company, H & M, Kohl's, JC Penney and similar stores.
Receipts obtained by CBS4 showed purchases of women's pants, high heels, blouses and men's slacks and dress shoes.
Although providing city workers with safety gear is a standard practice, paying for their dress clothes is more unusual.
Karlyn Tilley, a spokesperson for the City of Golden said "administrative staff does not have a clothing allowance. I think like most jobs we are expected to dress professionally ... and pay for our own clothes."
Both Westminster and Brighton said while taxpayers pay for safety gear for workers in the field, office workers are expected to purchase their own clothes.
In an initial interview, Arvada defended their practice.
"I don't believe anybody views this as a waste of taxpayer money," Vanderkolk said when first interviewed.
But several weeks later, Vanderkolk said the city had decided to curtail the practice under scrutiny by CBS4.
"This is not a program that's going to continue," said Vanderkolk in a follow-up interview. "I don't think we'll do something like this again."
She said the program came from a manager in the utility billing division who "wanted to give some employees a growth opportunity. Let's give them $350 per person so they could dress for success if you will," said Vanderkolk. She said three city administrators have now agreed to reimburse $703.55 that had been spent on office clothing for the two employees."
"Moving forward I would say we're not going to be doing something like that again."
Vanderkolk said Arvada spends about $200,000 citywide buying clothes for employees. As part of that, the Arvada Police Department also provides allowances for officers to buy clothing. And for non-uniformed officers like commanders, deputy chiefs and other administrators, they are allowed to spend $300 a year on their dress clothes with the city money.
A review of invoices shows top police commanders buying themselves slacks, belts, ties and casual wear like Dockers.
"We allow a certain amount to non-uniformed personnel to present themselves in a certain way every day," said police spokesperson Jill McGranahan. "They're out in the community representing the police department so we provide them money to represent the brand of the police department."
Last year police Chief Don Wick, who is paid $158,608.80 per year, used his clothing allowance to buy ribbed socks, button-down shirts, slacks and $109 tasseled loafers from retailer Lands End.
"We consider it to be a vital part of the representation of the police department," said McGranahan. She said the chief keeps his dress clothes in a closet at work and does not take them home.
McGranahan cited four other departments that she said provided clothing allowances to non-uniformed personnel.
The City of Golden said it does not provide a clothing allowance for non-uniformed members of the police department.
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.
