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Forsyth County reviews $2.38 million vehicle and ambulance purchase package, including three demo ambulances
Summary
County staff presented contracts and quotes for more than 20 replacement vehicles, three demo ambulances, four cab-and-chassis remounts and other fleet purchases totaling $2,381,868.54; commissioners asked about engine performance, hybrid police interceptors and price variation across procurement cooperatives.
Forsyth County general services staff briefed the Board of Commissioners on a multi-part procurement package for county vehicles and emergency apparatus, covering the planned purchase of passenger vehicles, patrol interceptors, ambulances, and remounts with a stated combined cost of $2,381,868.54.
The package presented to the board included: six vehicles (minivans, a Durango SUV and a Ram 3500) to be purchased from Horace G. Ilderton LLC for a combined not-to-exceed $258,703; three Ford Police Interceptors from Clinton Automotive LLC totaling $125,508.57; twelve vehicles (including Trax SUVs and Silverado trucks) from Modern Chevrolet LLC totaling $376,752.97; three demo Ford E-450 ambulances with upfit from Spartan Fire and Emergency Apparatus Inc. totaling $847,583 (individual unit prices of $274,591 and $286,496 were cited); and four Ford E-450 cab-and-chassis units with remounts from Emergency Transportation Associates LLC totaling $773,321.
Scott Angel, General Services Director, said most vehicles replace high-mileage or totaled units; one ambulance adds to the fleet as previously budgeted. Fleet supervisor Bridal Bollinger addressed commissioners' questions about past engine problems on Ford E-450 chassis, saying the manufacturer has corrected an oiling issue and extended warranties on some older units.
Commissioners questioned engine size and performance for emergency vehicles and were told current experience shows V6 and V8 engines have performed similarly. Board members also asked about hybrid Ford Interceptors ordered for the sheriff's office; Angel said this is the county's first purchase of hybrid interceptors and that the choice was driven by anticipated high driving mileage and potential fuel savings, with fleet staff to provide efficiency comparisons later.
Price variation among cooperative purchasing sources drew scrutiny. Commissioners asked why ambulances were sourced through the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) cooperative and why unit prices differed by about $12,000 for two demo ambulances; Spartan attributed part of the difference to Ford price escalation over time and to configuration differences between units. Angel said availability drove the vendor selection.
The briefing also covered procurement timing and a proposed move toward consolidated, semiannual vehicle purchase cycles to manage replacement needs. No final votes or contract awards were recorded during the briefing; staff presented the resolutions and requested formal approval at the upcoming business meeting.
Ending: County staff said they would provide commissioners with follow-up details requested at the briefing, including the efficiency difference for the hybrid interceptors, the fee structures for cooperative purchasing contracts, and the cumulative total for the A–E contract packages.
