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Texarkana board approves 52-month lease for three police vehicles, grant to cover nearly all costs
Summary
The Texarkana, Ark., board authorized a 52-month lease-purchase for three 2026 Toyota vehicles for detectives, funded primarily by a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant and the State Drug Control Fund; local impact is $458.45 per month for the next 52 months.
The Texarkana Board of Directors on a unanimous roll call authorized the city manager to enter a 52-month lease-purchase agreement to acquire three 2026 Toyota vehicles for detectives assigned to the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department.
Zach White, the police department presenter, told the board the grant that funds the vehicles has been received annually for more than 20 years and "authorizes us to lease vehicles up to $600 a month per vehicle," and that Robins Toyota and Arvest Bank provided the lowest competitive bid. White said the total purchase price is $85,300 plus interest, with "all but $458.45 funded by grants."
Why it matters: the vehicles are intended for detectives and investigators to conduct daily investigative work; staff said the grant will cover nearly all lease payments and the city will absorb a small monthly supplement from the police budget.
Board members asked whether the city leases other fleet vehicles and whether leases include maintenance. City staff explained that many municipal leases are structured as financing (the city owns the vehicle at term) and that maintenance agreements sometimes accompany third‑party lease providers but are not guaranteed as part of every deal. White confirmed the department examined maintenance options and that enterprise-style agreements were considered but that most maintenance is done in-house.
A council member noted two of the vehicles in the proposal are hybrids and asked about fuel savings; White said the department uses hybrid-equipped Ford Explorers in patrol and that fuel savings have generally outweighed higher upfront costs for those units.
The city attorney read the resolution authorizing the lease; after a motion and second the board voted by roll call. Directors Brewer, Jewell, Smith, Roberts, Assistant Mayor Harris, Director Hollowbush and Mayor Brown each answered "yes," and the resolution passed.
The city will complete the lease paperwork and move forward with procurement and vehicle delivery under the terms described in the resolution.
