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Lenoir City Council approves vehicle purchases, accepts MS4 annual report
Summary
At a Lenoir City Council meeting, councilors approved purchases of a street-department truck and a used Dodge Durango for police use and accepted the city's MS4 annual report. Council also set a school workshop and approved routine agenda items.
At a Lenoir City Council meeting, councilors voted to approve purchases of two vehicles for city operations and accepted the city's MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) annual report.
City staff told the council the street department received one bid of $49,999 from Mercedes Dodge Jeep Chrysler Ram for a truck for use by the department. "We had 1 bid in the amount of $49,999 from the Mercedes Dodge Jeep Chrysler Ram," a staff member said during the meeting. Council moved and voted to approve the purchase.
Separately, staff presented a proposal to buy a 2024 Dodge Durango with about 5,700 miles. Staff said the dealership offered a $13,500 trade-in allowance, reducing the vehicle's effective price from roughly $46,000 to $33,000; the net difference the city would cover was described by staff as about $19,500. Council approved that purchase; staff described the plan to rotate older vehicles through the department so the new Durango would become the chief's vehicle, and a previously high-mileage vehicle would be passed down to detectives or placed in the spare fleet.
Council also received and approved the MS4 annual report required for stormwater program documentation. The council took routine votes to approve minutes and the meeting agenda and approved a motion that "all bills are to be paid when properly approved and the funds are available." The meeting record shows roll-call votes with affirmative votes recorded; the transcript does not provide complete numerical tallies for each motion.
The council discussed scheduling: staff announced an upcoming joint workshop with Lenoir City Schools regarding possible funding for an addition to North Side Middle School; the workshop was scheduled for the Monday referenced by staff at 3 p.m., with the utility board meeting to follow at 4 p.m.
No legal or budgetary contingencies specific to the vehicle purchases were recorded in the discussion. Staff said funds were available in the current budget for the purchases. Councilors and staff praised recent creek-bank stabilization work funded through grants.
Votes at a glance - Approve purchase of street-department truck (bid $49,999 from Mercedes Dodge Jeep Chrysler Ram): approved (mover/second recorded in the meeting record; vote tallies not specified in transcript). - Approve purchase of 2024 Dodge Durango (used, ~5,700 miles; trade-in $13,500; net cost reduction to $33,000): approved (mover: Chairman Sanders; second: Brennan; vote tallies not specified in transcript). - Accept MS4 annual report: approved (roll-call vote recorded; tally not specified). - Approve agenda, minutes, and motion that bills be paid when properly approved and funds available: approved (roll-call votes recorded; tallies not specified).
Councilors and staff did not identify any outstanding approvals or external permissions required to complete the vehicle purchases beyond standard procurement and budgetary procedures.
A staff member and several councilors described the Durango purchase as a cost-saving opportunity because of the trade-in and remaining warranty on the used vehicle; councilors said the department will redeploy older vehicles rather than immediately increase the fleet size.
The meeting moved on to public-comment items and other business after the votes.
