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Council approves SPLOST reallocations for sheriff tactical gear and fire/EMS equipment
Summary
Columbus City Council approved the sheriff's request to reallocate $430,000 in SPLOST funds for tactical gear and approved reallocation of $1.8 million for fire/EMS to buy ambulances, turnout gear and related equipment; both reallocations were presented by the deputy city manager and approved by voice vote.
At its Jan. 27 meeting the Columbus City Council approved two SPLOST reallocation requests: one from the sheriff’s office for tactical equipment and another from Fire/EMS for fleet and equipment needs.
Deputy City Manager described the sheriff’s request as replacing a previously approved SPLOST item with $430,000 to purchase tactical equipment, which the staff list included 20 night-vision goggles and 34 ballistic vests. Council moved and approved the reallocation without recorded roll-call names for each vote.
A similar reallocation from the fire department asked to reallocate $1,800,000 that had been approved for a fire engine toward three ambulances, a command-and-control build-out, turnout gear (95 sets), two reserve fire trucks, five mobile data terminals, three staff vehicles and one bomb suit. Council moved and approved the fire/EMS reallocation; fire leadership said the shift will buy time and address fleet needs.
Councilors who spoke in support framed the reallocations as re-prioritizing existing SPLOST-authorized funds to address urgent public-safety and fleet needs.
