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Aurora council rejects amendment to require electric police vehicle, approves $60,000 purchase
Summary
After an hour of debate about electric vehicle availability and mission needs, Aurora City Council voted down an amendment to require an electric police vehicle and approved a resolution to procure a non-police-package fleet vehicle for the police public information officer not to exceed $60,000.
Aurora City Council debated whether to require an electric vehicle for a proposed police department fleet purchase before approving the original $60,000 authorization.
Alderman Loesch moved to amend the resolution (240565) to replace the phrase “an additional fleet” with the word “electric,” but staff testified that an electric vehicle that met the department’s cargo and durability needs was unlikely to be available within the $60,000 budget. “We don't believe that we would be able to find something that that would meet our needs,” said Lieutenant Bill Riley, Administrative Services Lieutenant for the Police Department. Derek Winston, director of public facilities, added: “there's not a lot out there…they're very few and far between,” citing production and supply constraints.
Supporters of prioritizing electric vehicles spoke during the discussion. “Each and every opportunity we have had as a city to go with something green…we do,” said Alderman Smith, who urged the council to keep sustainability in mind when feasible. Alderman Loesch said his amendment would explicitly direct procurement toward electric options.
Council members pressing for practicality noted the PIO’s operational needs. Riley described equipment the public information officer must carry — video gear and stage items — and said it would require an SUV-sized vehicle rather than a small electric car. City fleet staff and others said that at present electric SUV models with the necessary payload and range were either not available or not within the $60,000 cap.
The amendment failed on a roll-call vote, recorded as 11 no and 1 yes. The council then voted on the original resolution to procure a fleet vehicle not to exceed $60,000 for the Aurora Police Department; that motion passed on roll call by a tally of 11 yes and 1 no.
The council did not specify a vehicle make or model at the meeting; staff said they would seek the most economical, efficient vehicle that met department needs and that availability and price could change over time.
