Catoosa awards bids for more than $500K in new vehicles
Catoosa County commissioners recently approved the purchase of more than $500,000 in vehicles for various departments.
During the Dec. 3 Board of Commissioner’s meeting, Public Works Director Donald “Buster” Brown presented his bid recommendations for vehicles to help outfit five different departments.
“This is a resolution to approve and award bids for the purchase of vehicles for multiple county departments,” Brown said. “Invitations to bid were advertised through the Catoosa County purchasing policy. Bids were opened on Oct. 15 and Nov. 14.”
In total, Brown read off the bid recommendations for a total of nine vehicles at a cost of just over $500,000.
The bids included a 2020 Ford Explorer for the Stormwater Department at a cost of $30,108.88 to Prater Ford; a 2020 Ford F150 for the Tax Assessor’s Office at a cost of $25,998.76 from Prater Ford; a 2020 Ford F350 for the Fleet Garage, two 2020 Ford F150s for the Recreation Department at a cost of $63,375.52 from Prater Ford; two 2020 Ford F150s for the Public Works Department at a cost of $63,375.52 from Prater Ford; a Kenworth T370 at a cost of $108,730.77 from MHC Chattanooga; and a Kenworth T880 for the Public Works Department at a cost of $151,881.45 from MHC Chattanooga.
“These will vehicle expenditures will be funded from the 2014 SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax),” Brown said.
When Commissioner Jeff Long asked why the F150s for Recreation and Public Works departments cost more than the one for the Tax Assessor’s Office, Brown explained that the vehicles had different specifications.
“Those were specked out differently,” Brown said. “The Public Works and Recreation ones were crew cabs with V-8 engines. I think the Tax Assessor’s, because it’s just going to have one person in it, it just has a regular cab and with a smaller engine.”
Before the item was addressed, resident George Battersby commented on the purchase during the public appearances portion of the agenda. Battersby questioned why none of the vehicles were being purchased from local dealerships.
“I see tonight the county is going to purchase half a million dollars worth of vehicles and I notice none of them are going to be purchased locally,” Battersby said.
Commissioner Charlie Stephens also asked about the local aspect of the bids.
As far as trying to shop with local dealers, Brown said county staff always tries to invite bids from local dealers, but that sometimes the local guys aren’t interested depending on what the vehicle specifications are.
“We look at all the bids,” Brown said.
Ultimately, the board approved the bids in the total amount of $503,339.80 by way of a 4-1 vote, with Stephens the only one opposed to the purchase.