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Committee approves police vehicle budget adjustments and hires consultant to study police and fire facility options
Summary
The committee approved a police budget amendment to account for insurance proceeds and sales, accepted changeover costs for four new squad cars, and authorized a contract amendment directing consultants to analyze options — including a combined public safety facility — for future police and fire buildings.
The Germantown Public Safety Committee approved a series of items affecting police fleet maintenance and longer‑term facilities planning: a budget amendment to account for insurance proceeds and vehicle sale revenues, authorization of changeover costs for four new squad cars, and a contract amendment asking consultants to produce cost analyses of multiple facility options for police and fire services.
Police staff told the committee the budget amendment (item L) simply moves insurance proceeds and sale revenues into the vehicle maintenance account so those funds are available for repairs and purchases. "There's no net impact on the general fund budget," the police chief said, adding that revenues will offset corresponding expenditures.
Committee members approved changeover costs for four new 2025 squad cars (item M). Staff explained that two older vehicles will be retired and sold, two current squads will be repurposed as administrative vehicles, and the new squads will be outfitted with lighting, radios and other equipment. Committee members discussed the labor cost as the largest line item and explored whether Public Works or the village’s general fire shop could reduce labor costs; staff said they have used DPW for partial work in the past but that complete upfits have historically been handled by a dedicated vendor or neighboring municipal shop because of efficiency and warranty concerns.
On facilities, the committee approved an amendment to the consultants' scope (item N) to include additional options for police and fire facilities, including an explicit cost estimate for a combined public safety building. Administrator and staff said the consultant (Grama PRA Moore) holds prior drawings and data from earlier work, which should speed the process. The committee asked the consultant to itemize costs for alternatives so trustees can compare rebuilding on the current police site, constructing separate new facilities, or pursuing a combined facility on a village‑owned site.
Why it matters: the decisions move current vehicle and maintenance money into the appropriate accounts and begin a formal, costed evaluation of options for replacing aging police and fire facilities. The consultant’s study will provide figures trustees need to decide whether to pursue property acquisition, construction, or renovation.
Committee members requested more granular cost detail and asked staff to explore whether some installation work could be kept local to save money while preserving warranties and efficient turnaround. The committee also discussed scheduling site tours of other new facilities for members and the public so trustees can see examples before final decisions.
The motions to approve the budget amendment, changeover costs and the consultant scope amendment all passed by voice vote at the committee meeting.
