Sheriff’s Department to purchase 10 new vehicles
The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department will soon add 10 new vehicles to its fleet after striking a deal with Mt. View Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Ringgold.
The Board of Commissioners, during its May 7 meeting, approved Sheriff Gary Sisk’s recommendation to purchase the vehicles and also allowed for the allocation of insurance settlement dollars to be used on in-car digital cameras.
“The first item is the approval of expenditure of vehicle insurance settlement funds for purchase of some sheriff’s office equipment,” Sheriff Sisk said. “This was so we didn’t have to take it out of our vehicle and equipment funds.”
Sisk said the plan is to use the insurance money to purchase the cameras, since the dollars involved are similar.
“In this fiscal year, we’ve received just over $44,700 in insurance settlements from accidents the vehicles have been involved in,” Sisk said. “So, with that, we’d like to purchase 10 digital allied vehicle cameras at a price of $40,250, and then it would pay for the sheriff’s office decals installation at $4,000 for a total of $44,250.”
Commissioners unanimously approved the proposal as well as the expenditure of more than a quarter-million dollars for 10 new Dodge Chargers.
“We request the expenditure of 2014 SPLOST (SpecialPurpose Local-option Sales Tax) funds in the amount of $273,866 for sheriff’s office vehicles and related equipment,” Sisk said.
Sisk said Mt. View proposed the best deal during the bidding process. The dealership will be able to handle all the outfitting of the vehicles after agreeing to acquire and install the needed equipment for the vehicles.
“They’re doing the whole package,” Sisk said.
Commissioner Charlie Stephens commented that he’s glad a Ringgold dealership was able to land the bid.
“I like that you buy local,” Stephens said.
Sisk says the new vehicles will replace 10 that need to be taken out of service, but that a delivery date for the new vehicles has not been determined yet.
“We usually get about six to seven years — or try to — out of a car,” Sisk said. “There’s no timetable yet for when they’ll be ready.”