$29,000 Chrysler Replaces Wieder’s Oft-Fixed Lemon

The county this week bought Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder a new car: a $29,000 Chrysler LHS.

Her previous county car, just 2 years old, was heavily damaged in a collision last month in Huntington Beach. But county officials say the purchase had nothing to do with the crash. They say Wieder’s “old” car was a lemon with poor suspension.

The purchase comes after one of the most difficult budget years in county history, when shortfalls ran as high as $90 million.

The Chrysler is the priciest car in the county’s executive fleet, but Wieder said Thursday that it is in line with what her colleagues receive.

Supervisors have the choice of a county car or an $823-a-month transportation allowance. Wieder, whose number of car repairs in the last four years surpasses all of her colleagues’, said that her colleagues expressed concerns about the vehicle’s expense Tuesday during a closed session of the board.

“There was some talk about (the new car) in executive session this week, but I had to leave early,” Wieder said. “I’m not sure what their concerns were.”

Other board members and officials present at the meeting could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Wieder has needed at least 10 auto body repairs on county vehicles since 1989.

News of the county’s car purchase was not winning rave reviews with one local reform advocate.

“It’s throwing good money after bad,” said Shirley Grindle, who helped in writing a ban on gifts for local government officials. “Maybe what she needs is an armored truck.”

But county General Services Agency Director R.A. Scott said the decision to replace Wieder’s 2-year-old Chrysler Imperial was made well before the supervisor’s most recent accident.

Scott said the Imperial, registering about 38,000 miles, was “a lemon” with chronic suspension problems. None of the problems, however, were caused by the body damage, Scott said.

“We have about 2,000 vehicles in our fleet,” Scott said. “Believe me, there are some lemons. Our people said this car was a lemon.”

Among the possibilities for the Imperial’s second life: The car could be made part of the county motor pool or be sold at auction, Scott said.