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Leesburg staff recommends buying mobile vehicle barricade kits for downtown events amid regional shortages
Summary
Event and public-safety staff told council they recommend purchasing three mobile vehicle barricade trailer kits, at an estimated one-time cost of $369,000 for the kits plus recurring setup staffing costs of roughly $45,000 a year, because regional rentals and shared inventory are limited and demand for barricades has risen since 2023.
Town events staff and public-safety officials briefed the council on mobile vehicle barricades used to secure downtown street-closure events and recommended purchasing trailer kits to ensure consistent, reliable event security.
Staff presenters (event staff and the police chief joined the briefing) described two common crowd-control methods the town currently uses: Type 3 barricades with a town vehicle parked behind them and rented or borrowed mobile vehicle barricade trailer kits. Mobile kits first were used in Leesburg in 2023 and have two common styles referenced by staff: a swing gate kit and a cable-style kit. Staff prefers the swing-gate kits for the town’s use.
Why staff recommends purchase Kate (events staff) and Tamara Kiesucker (management and budget officer) said demand for trailer kits has increased regionally; Northern Virginia Emergency Response System (NVERS) inventory and commercial rentals are both constrained. Staff used NVERS kits last year and has requested them multiple times, but supply is limited and allocation decisions are made regionally. Staff said rented kits and borrowed kits differ in hardware (swing gate vs cable), requiring recurring staff training if the town relies on rentals.
Costs and funding - Purchase estimate: staff estimated three trailer kits at about $123,000 each (total kit cost estimated at $369,000) and preliminary delivery lead times of 2–3 months. Staff also estimated recurring staffing costs for setup/teardown at about $45,000 per year. The total one-time outlay including ancillary equipment and initial staffing was presented at approximately $414,000.
- Rental estimate: staff presented an annual recurring rental alternative estimated at about $115,000 per year (approx. $2,700 per rental plus staffing), which would exceed purchase costs over a multi-year horizon.
- Funding option: staff identified $519,000 in one-time savings from a prior bond sale (better-than-anticipated financing terms) available to fund one-time purchases; the FY25 budget already includes a small rental allocation but not enough to fully fund purchase of three kits.
Safety and operational notes Police Chief Thea Purnat and emergency management staff described how the kits are deployed, their vehicle-stopping characteristics and how they are configured to allow pedestrian flow and emergency access. Staff said the steel barricades can arrest vehicle intrusion under many conditions; they noted stopping performance depends on vehicle size and speed and that proper deployment distances (e.g., leaving 25 feet between barricade line and event setup) matter for protection and aesthetics.
Council reaction and next steps Council members discussed rental-versus-buy economics, storage and maintenance (DPW yard considered for secure storage) and possible joint purchases with neighboring towns. Staff said existing purchasing contracts could be used and that procurement and contract award would likely take about a month. Council consensus at the work session authorized staff to pursue procurement and prepare award documentation; because the purchase exceeds the manager’s approval threshold, formal contract or bid award will return to council for approval. Flower & Garden (April 26–27) will require rented barriers this year because purchased kits would require lead time for delivery.
Ending: Staff will prepare procurement documents and bring a contract award to council for approval; council provided direction to move forward but did not record a final contract award at the work session.
