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Council authorizes 60-month lease for 12 police pursuit vehicles; discussion includes electric-vehicle pilot idea
Summary
The council approved a 60-month master lease to acquire 12 police pursuit vehicles to phase out older units; the agreement lists an approximate per-unit amount in the record and staff said selection for replacement will be based on mileage and maintenance. Councilors discussed electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
Edinburg’s City Council authorized a 60-month master lease for 12 police pursuit vehicles, saying the arrangement will allow the police department to phase out older, higher-maintenance units.
The motion to authorize a master lease agreement with D and M Leasing Company through the Texas Local Government Purchasing Cooperative was approved after staff told council the lease is intended to replace vehicles selected on the basis of mileage and maintenance. The staff report recorded an approximate amount of $2,113.75 “per unit,” as read into the record; the transcript did not specify whether that figure is a monthly payment, total per-unit cost, or another timeframe.
Nut graf: The lease is intended to modernize the patrol fleet and reduce maintenance burdens; councilors also raised the possibility of pilot testing electric vehicles for certain roles and noted infrastructure questions such as the availability of charging stations in the region.
Police Chief Omar Garza told council that the fleet specialist prioritizes replacements based on mileage and maintenance records and that the new vehicles would be outfitted after purchase. Several council members suggested exploring electric vehicles for specialized uses and flagged the current lack of local fast-charging infrastructure, with the closest fast charger noted in McAllen. Staff said the city already uses electric vehicles in some departments (public works, planning) and could pilot an EV as part of future fleet planning.
After discussion, the council voted in favor of the motion to authorize the lease. City staff will proceed to order the vehicles and coordinate outfitting and deployment through the contracting cooperative.
Ending: Staff said delivery and outfitting are expected in the summer months and that the city will continue evaluating electrification options for the fleet.
