Commission approves voucher to secure two sheriff pickup trucks and authorizes van sale

The Mercer County Commission approved a voucher to secure two upfitted pickup trucks for the sheriff’s office after a presentation on procurement costs. Chris Waller, who came to discuss vehicle options, said the county budgeted $150,000 for two units but received turnkey bids totaling about $180,000 for two Chevrolet Silverados; outfitting costs (including cameras and graphics) add further expense.

Waller said the vendor required an up-front payment of roughly $110,000 to secure the vehicles and that the remaining approximately $70,000 for outfitting, graphics and specialized equipment would be due 3–5 months later when the vehicles are delivered. He told commissioners he had priced local vendors but found national turnkey providers offered lower total turnkey pricing and faster, single-source delivery and outfitting.

Commissioners asked for a clearer, side-by-side comparison of Durango vs. Silverado lifecycle costs and a line-item breakout for outfitting before final payment; Waller agreed to provide the detailed breakdown to staff and commissioners. The board approved a motion to secure the vehicles with the voucher; the commission also separately authorized putting a decommissioned transport van out for public bids to sell the surplus vehicle.

The board clarified the approved voucher secures the vehicles now and that the county will return later to authorize the remainder of the outfitting payment when invoices are available. Several commissioners said they would prefer receiving written comparisons before future procurement votes.