Neosho City budget funds patrol cars, taser replacements, UTVs and station generators for 2025–26

Neosho City’s draft budget packages multiple public-safety equipment purchases aimed at modernizing police and fire operations, staff told the council.

For the police department, staff proposed purchasing three patrol vehicles, replacing aging tasers that are roughly a decade or more old and adding four tablets so each officer has an assigned device. Presenters said older taser models are becoming obsolete and that new purchases include a five-year warranty; specific per-unit costs were not finalized in the packet.

Fire department requests include vehicle-stabilization jacks and replacement of aging ATVs (from four down to two) plus acquisition of a UTV fitted with a skid (water) unit to access parks and trails where fire trucks cannot operate. Staff said the UTV will provide both rescue and patient-transport capability at events and on trails.

Rescue 4, an ordered apparatus, remains delayed beyond staff’s original delivery estimate and will shift into next fiscal year. The budget also includes generators for Station 2 (to support normal operations during outages), and generators for City Hall and the municipal auditorium were included in this year’s capital list.

Staff emphasized some equipment (for example, UTV skid units) addresses documented response challenges on trails and remote areas; council members supported the purchases in principle and asked staff to return with final costs and procurement details.

Next steps: staff will provide vendor quotes and procurement schedules for each item and return to council for formal purchase approval.