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Belknap County approves purchase of 15‑passenger transport van using federal 287(g) funds
Summary
Belknap County commissioners voted to waive competitive bidding and approve purchase of a McGovern‑built Ford Transit 15‑passenger transport van, funded in part by a $100,000 Homeland Security 287(g) vehicle grant; the board recorded the motion but no roll‑call tally appears in the transcript.
Belknap County commissioners voted to waive competitive bidding and approve the purchase of a turnkey 15‑passenger Ford Transit transport van outfitted by McGovern Municipal HQ (MHQ), with the purchase to be covered by a $100,000 Homeland Security 287(g) vehicle allocation and supplemental county funds as needed.
County staff explained the van is a short‑roof, front‑facing configuration with individual seat belts and sight‑/sound‑separated compartments designed to improve transport conditions and reduce motion‑sickness among detainees. The presenter (Bill, a county staff member) said the proposed all‑wheel‑drive van is preferable for winter operations and noted the outfitted vehicle would replace the county’s 2009 Ford van, which the county plans to take offline and auction.
Staff said MHQ can deliver a completed vehicle in mid to late August. The package as described, including equipment, would keep the total build under the $100,000 vehicle threshold that accompanied the county’s 287(g) grant award; the presenter noted an additional Motorola radio and installation would cost about $6,700 and be purchased separately. County staff also confirmed the federal funds awarded were $167,500 total for the program: $100,000 designated for a vehicle and the remainder for individual gear and equipment allocations.
Commissioners discussed whether the 15‑passenger size would trigger commercial‑driver requirements and were advised that law‑enforcement and fire departments are exempt in this context. A motion to waive the competitive‑bid process and proceed with the purchase was made, seconded and carried by voice vote; the transcript does not include a roll‑call tally.
The van vendor was described in the meeting as McGovern Municipal HQ (MHQ); staff noted they had explored other upfitters but selected MHQ because it could provide the short‑roof configuration and a turnkey build. Staff said MHQ would build to the county’s specified seating and safety configuration rather than using a high‑top conversion that would be too tall for some transport needs.
Next steps: staff said they would proceed with the purchase and arrange for outfitting per the approved plan. The county will retire the existing 2009 van and consider auctioning it.
