Delaware County approves $63,192.75 pickup for Emergency Management

The Delaware County Board of Commissioners voted April 23 to purchase a 2026 Ford F-250 for Delaware County Emergency Management for $63,192.75 from Confidence Ford under state bid contract #SW0035. The motion, made by Commissioner David Beck and seconded by Commissioner David Poindexter, passed on a 2-0 roll call with Commissioner Callihan recorded as absent.

Emergency Management Director Jeff Reeves said the department’s newest truck is five years old with approximately 75,000 miles and that two older pickups were surplussed because of wear; the newly authorized vehicle will serve as Reeves’ daily driver and the truck he now uses will be reassigned to Deputy Director Chris Wilkins. "The newest truck my department has is five years old with approximately 75,000 miles," Reeves said during the discussion.

Commissioner Beck asked whether money was available for the purchase. Chairman David Poindexter said the contingency account had sufficient funds to complete the fiscal year but both Poindexter and County Clerk Barbara Barnes said the current balance in the Use Tax account was not specified during the meeting. Reeves added the county expects a $165,000 grant reimbursement for a new command center trailer to arrive soon; that reimbursement was described in the meeting as a grant reimbursement and not as an already deposited balance.

The board recorded that the purchase would be paid from the Use Tax account. The minutes do not list the exact Use Tax balance or any formal amendment to the budget; staff did not provide a precise account total on the record. The meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.