Dobbs Ferry trustees approve two vehicle purchases, press staff for more EV options

Dobbs Ferry trustees voted unanimously to permit the police department to buy a 2026 Ford Expedition SSV 4x4 interceptor and to authorize a hybrid Ford Explorer for the building department after a sustained discussion about vehicle capability, maintenance, contracting and electric-vehicle availability.

Lieutenant Colvin, who led the procurement presentation, said the Expedition SSV was chosen to replace a 4x4 Chevy Tahoe because of its 4x4 capability for private roads and to streamline maintenance with the village’s largely Ford fleet. Colvin said the vehicle purchase was sought through the New York State contract and noted that an all-wheel-drive hybrid or EV equivalent is not currently available in that vehicle class.

Board members pressed staff on the village’s broader EV goals. One trustee thanked staff for a backup memo that detailed alternatives and asked whether the department had checked state and county contract listings; another said the board had committed to moving toward electric vehicles but acknowledged repeatedly encountering procurement and cost constraints. Trustees discussed piggybacking county or municipal contracts, the higher costs of Rivian and other EV SUVs, and that the only all-electric SUV the department found that met weather-and-equipment needs was a Tesla, which the board had previously declined to pursue.

Motion and vote details: the board approved the police purchase under a stated purchase price of $56,799.50 and upfitting costs of $19,532.59; Trustee Galen moved, Trustee Nell seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Later, the board authorized purchase of a 2025 Ford Explorer Interceptor Hybrid all-wheel-drive for the building department from the New York State contract; Trustee Galen moved, Trustee Patino seconded, and that motion also passed unanimously.

Why it matters: trustees said fleet standardization reduces maintenance complexity and costs, but several members emphasized that the village’s stated goal to adopt more electric vehicles will require more centralized tracking of existing vehicles, advance planning and active review of alternative contracts. The board asked staff to compile or centralize a list of fleet vehicles, upcoming replacement years and contract options for future budget workshops.

What's next: the police and building department purchases will proceed under the stated New York State contract authority. Trustees asked staff to provide backup documentation in future vehicle requests showing which state and county contracts were checked and to explore piggyback options and EV availability before bringing future requests forward.