Village to buy a new police vehicle

Village police are getting a new cruiser.

Fort Recovery Village Council amended appropriations and approved transfers during a special meeting Tuesday, allowing for the purchase of a 2025 Dodge Durango Pursuit and a brush chipper.

Both purchases had already been budgeted for earlier this year.

Fort Recovery Police Chief Jared Laux explained Tuesday the village’s 2015 Dodge Charger has had various mechanical issues recently and had to be towed.

“It’s a matter of time until (the engine) probably just completely just shuts down,” Laux said. “You guys have heard the ticking, the misfire, and I mean just everything under the sun with that vehicle unfortunately.”

He shared plans to purchase the vehicle from Sarchione Automotive Group for $45,029. It should be delivered within the next couple weeks.

Outfitting the vehicle with police equipment is estimated to take another $15,000 or more. Laux is looking into utilizing KE Rose of Huber Heights or StateWide Ford of Van Wert for the service.

To decommission the Charger — essentially to remove all police equipment so that it is able to be used for non-police purposes — is estimated to cost $880. Laux talked about the potential to recycle some equipment by moving it from the Charger to the Durango.

“Well, from my standpoint, I think that Chief Laux has done a lot of homework on this, so I trust that he has gotten us to the best buy that he can, and it sounds like we need to retire that other (vehicle) sooner than later,” said council member Cliff Wendel. 

Council members made a $65,000 appropriation for the vehicle purchase. 

They also made a $45,000 appropriation for purchasing a new brush chipper — it’s priced at $44,316 — from Vermeer of Findlay, Ohio. The village’s current brush chipper has hit its stride, village administrator Randy Diller has noted in past council meetings.

In other business, council members Erik Fiely, Luke Knapke, Greg Schmitz, Scott Pearson, Al Post and Wendel heard the village will be hosting an informational meeting for property owners along the planned Butler Street reconstruction area from 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16, with the village’s regular meeting to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Ohio Public Works Commission awarded Fort Recovery approximately $499,000 earlier this year through the Small Government Program grant for reconstruction of Butler Street between Fort Site and Main streets. The project, estimated at $1.53 million, includes a new aggregate base and asphalt designed to handle daily truck traffic, as well as new and improved curbs and sidewalks, a new water main pipe, new service taps at adjoining properties, including a tap for fire protection at Fort Recovery Morvilius Opera House, and a new traffic signal, pedestrian crossing equipment and fixtures at the intersection of Butler and Wayne streets. Hopes are the project will be completed by July 2025.