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Forest Park council approves purchase of 14 police vehicles after debate over funding and timing
Summary
The Forest Park mayor and council voted to purchase 14 patrol and administrative vehicles from the DOAS cooperative contract with Wade Ford, financing the purchase through a Georgia Municipal Association installment plan despite debate about funding priorities and a December rate deadline.
Forest Park — The mayor and council voted Dec. 1 to authorize the purchase of 14 police vehicles from the Department of Administrative Services cooperative contract with Wade Ford, financing the purchase through a Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) installment plan.
The police department requested 14 vehicles — 11 patrol and three administrative replacements — with the total cost, including upfits, described in staff materials as just under $1,000,000 ($956,461.50). Finance staff and council members debated whether to table the purchase while seeking alternative funding. Finance Director John Wiggins recommended additional review; he and other staff also confirmed the quoted 4.40% interest and a rate‑lock deadline of Dec. 11, 2025, which could affect the financing terms if the council delayed.
Chiefs and department staff told council members that many current vehicles were near end‑of‑life, citing maintenance and transmission failures on older Tahoes and the risk that the vendor would not hold vehicles indefinitely. Staff said the financing requires an initial invoice when the order is placed and that the purchase was structured as a multi‑year installment plan rather than a single full‑year payment.
Council discussion focused on two tensions: fiscal prudence amid other capital needs (including cash earmarked for a future city center project) versus public‑safety needs tied to an aging fleet. City attorney and finance staff clarified that red‑speed funds (tickets from automatic speed detection devices in school zones) are eligible for public safety initiatives and could be used for vehicle purchases; staff reported a substantial balance in that fund and ongoing monthly revenues from the program.
After debate and questions about availability, warranty, and payment schedule, a motion to approve the purchase passed on a roll call in which the listed council members voted in the affirmative. The motion was moved and seconded on the floor; the minutes show councilmembers James, Gunn, Gutierrez, Akins Wells and Mears recorded as voting "Yes." The record does not list an explicit mayoral vote in the roll-call lines cited.
Next steps: staff will proceed with procurement and financing steps, begin initial invoicing as required by the financing agreement, and coordinate vehicle delivery and upfitting.
