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Council weighs buying police SUV as Rural Development grant funding shrinks
Summary
Council members discussed using budgeted funds to buy a new police vehicle now after repeated unsuccessful Rural Development grant cycles, weighed SUVs versus pickup trucks and asked staff to return with price comparisons and a formal purchase request at the next meeting.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, members discussed whether to use budgeted funds to buy a new police vehicle now or continue applying for a Rural Development grant that staff said has not resulted in deliveries.
Dan, a staff member, told the council that the town has applied for the federal Rural Development grant for several cycles but has not received awarded vehicles, and that the program’s funding and delivery capacity have shrunk. “We’ve been applying for this grant but we have not received it,” Dan said, adding the grant historically covered a significant portion of a vehicle.
The council has budgeted roughly $75,000 for vehicle replacement in the current fiscal plan. Staff presented one quoted vehicle price of $62,400 for the Ford Interceptor small SUV and said equipment costs would be additional. They also presented a three-year lease-to-own option with an approximate 8 percent interest rate that would add about $5,500–$6,000 in financing costs compared with an outright purchase.
Pat, a staff member, gave a rundown of the current fleet and mileages: a 2021 Dodge Charger at about 46,000 miles, another at about 84,000 miles, and a 2018 Charger at roughly 144,000 miles, the latter identified as the likely outgoing vehicle.
Council members debated vehicle type and operational needs. Several members said a mixed fleet — a pickup truck plus a smaller SUV — would be most useful: trucks provide higher clearance and cargo capacity for winter weather and material transport, while smaller SUVs are easier to rotate into other municipal roles such as pool-car duties or transfers to the street, water or electric departments.
Members also raised maintenance and service concerns. One council member recalled times when Dodges had to be sent to Green Bay for specialized service; staff said Ford vehicles may be serviceable at closer dealerships but that state contracting and dealer arrangements can affect where specialized work is performed.
No formal purchase vote was taken. Instead, council members asked staff to obtain additional pricing and to return at the next meeting with a purchase package and comparative quotes, including outreach to local dealers to see whether they can match state contract pricing. Staff will also confirm whether purchasing a vehicle before any future grant award would preclude applying a later award to another vehicle.
The meeting ended after brief council comments and a motion to adjourn.
