July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Mileage steers county to smaller vehicles
Jay County Commissioners
By STEVE GARBACZ
The Jay County Commissioners — on the recommendation of the sheriff — rejected a second round of bids for a police SUV and instead decided to get a midsize vehicle from the state.
Sheriff Ray Newton informed the commissioners that although a second round of bids for an SUV for the department met his specifications, he felt the larger vehicles that were bid, three Ford Expeditions and one Jeep Grand Cherokee, were more than what he would need.
“I’m not in favor of getting the Expedition because of the gas mileage” he said. The lowest bid was for an Expedition put in by Moser Motors, Portland. “My intent was to get the (Ford) Explorer or something six-cylinder.”
This was the second round of bids after a first round in February came back all over the board. After the first rejection, Newton tinkered with the bid specifications and the large-end SUVs in this round all came in within $1,000 of each other.
Newton said local dealerships said they were unable to bid an appropriate mid-size SUV like an Explorer to meet the department’s needs because the vehicles were unavailable.
Manufacturers are working on a “police package” SUV to be released with the 2012 line, however Newton said those vehicles wouldn’t be available until fall this year and both he and the commissioners expressed concerns about what that type of SUV might cost.
Newton said, however, that through the state bids, he could get an appropriately sized Explorer for the department at a cost of $21,917.25.
“He’s the only one in the state who can do this,” Newton said of the dealer for the state.
Newton said since he’s unsure of what the 2012 police package SUV might cost, that he would rather get the available vehicle now and not have to “go back and ask the (Jay County Council) for more money.”
“They’re going to bump (the price) up,” on the police package, commissioner Milo Miller Jr. predicted with certainty.
“My recommendation is to go with the Explorer,” Newton said. “We’ll reject the bids for the Expedition and the Jeep.”
The commissioners rejected the second rounds of bids and made Newton purchasing agent to pursue the Ford Explorer through the state bid.
“His department, his vehicle,” said commissioner Jim Zimmerman, of accepting the sheriff’s request.
In other business this morning, the commissioners:
•Were asked by Dave Cramer, president of Friends of the Limberlost, for the county to turn over about a .25 acre piece of land in Bearcreek township to the organization.
The triangular piece of land is located just east of U.S. 27 on the south side of the Limberlost Creek south
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of county road 900 North. Cramer and the commissioners were unsure of why the tiny piece of land was in the county’s ownership, but the commissioners said they had no problem with turning over ownership to the Friends of the Limberlost.
Attorney Bill Hinkle said he would look into the procedure for swapping ownership between the county and the organization.
•Signed two easements for Century Link for work to be completed at county road 800 South and U.S. 27 and at 450 North and 450 East in Wabash Township.
•Were asked by Jay County Auditor Nancy Culy about obtaining a county credit card. Culy said a credit card could be used to pay for arrangements state-required trainings and conferences so that employees will not have to spend their own funds and wait to be reimbursed.
The commissioners told Culy to contact other counties who utilize a county credit card to get more information about it.
•Were informed by Hinkle that deeds were being drafted to obtain the land containing the Portland Pioneer Cemetery located west of Jaqua Avenue from private landowner Dean Poole.
The commissioners hope to have an agreement between the county and Poole signed by next week.
The Jay County Commissioners — on the recommendation of the sheriff — rejected a second round of bids for a police SUV and instead decided to get a midsize vehicle from the state.
Sheriff Ray Newton informed the commissioners that although a second round of bids for an SUV for the department met his specifications, he felt the larger vehicles that were bid, three Ford Expeditions and one Jeep Grand Cherokee, were more than what he would need.
“I’m not in favor of getting the Expedition because of the gas mileage” he said. The lowest bid was for an Expedition put in by Moser Motors, Portland. “My intent was to get the (Ford) Explorer or something six-cylinder.”
This was the second round of bids after a first round in February came back all over the board. After the first rejection, Newton tinkered with the bid specifications and the large-end SUVs in this round all came in within $1,000 of each other.
Newton said local dealerships said they were unable to bid an appropriate mid-size SUV like an Explorer to meet the department’s needs because the vehicles were unavailable.
Manufacturers are working on a “police package” SUV to be released with the 2012 line, however Newton said those vehicles wouldn’t be available until fall this year and both he and the commissioners expressed concerns about what that type of SUV might cost.
Newton said, however, that through the state bids, he could get an appropriately sized Explorer for the department at a cost of $21,917.25.
“He’s the only one in the state who can do this,” Newton said of the dealer for the state.
Newton said since he’s unsure of what the 2012 police package SUV might cost, that he would rather get the available vehicle now and not have to “go back and ask the (Jay County Council) for more money.”
“They’re going to bump (the price) up,” on the police package, commissioner Milo Miller Jr. predicted with certainty.
“My recommendation is to go with the Explorer,” Newton said. “We’ll reject the bids for the Expedition and the Jeep.”
The commissioners rejected the second rounds of bids and made Newton purchasing agent to pursue the Ford Explorer through the state bid.
“His department, his vehicle,” said commissioner Jim Zimmerman, of accepting the sheriff’s request.
In other business this morning, the commissioners:
•Were asked by Dave Cramer, president of Friends of the Limberlost, for the county to turn over about a .25 acre piece of land in Bearcreek township to the organization.
The triangular piece of land is located just east of U.S. 27 on the south side of the Limberlost Creek south of county road 900 North. Cramer and the commissioners were unsure of why the tiny piece of land was in the county’s ownership, but the commissioners said they had no problem with turning over ownership to the Friends of the Limberlost.
Attorney Bill Hinkle said he would look into the procedure for swapping ownership between the county and the organization.
•Signed two easements for Century Link for work to be completed at county road 800 South and U.S. 27 and at 450 North and 450 East in Wabash Township.
•Were asked by Jay County Auditor Nancy Culy about obtaining a county credit card. Culy said a credit card could be used to pay for arrangements state-required trainings and conferences so that employees will not have to spend their own funds and wait to be reimbursed.
The commissioners told Culy to contact other counties who utilize a county credit card to get more information about it.
•Were informed by Hinkle that deeds were being drafted to obtain the land containing the Portland Pioneer Cemetery located west of Jaqua Avenue from private landowner Dean Poole.
The commissioners hope to have an agreement between the county and Poole signed by next week.
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