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Zionsville obtained federal‑surplus mobile command vehicle; department seeks functional upgrades
Summary
Deputy Chief Potts secured a federal‑surplus mobile command vehicle at no acquisition cost, Chief Van Gorder told the board; the town is responsible for maintenance and insurance and is considering $10,000–$15,000 functional upgrades and external grant funding rather than aesthetic changes.
Chief Van Gorder told the Safety Board that Deputy Chief Potts located and the town acquired a federal‑surplus mobile command vehicle at no acquisition cost. "They actually give it to us to use. We're responsible for all the maintenance, the care, the insurance of it, but we spent $0 in acquiring it," Van Gorder said, noting the vehicle has already supported training exercises and the July holiday event.
Board members asked whether surrounding departments would help pay upgrades. Van Gorder said there is currently no cost‑share agreement and, given staffing and budgetary constraints, he did not anticipate significant financial contributions from other agencies. He described modest, functional upgrades—new monitors and cameras—that could cost an estimated $10,000–$15,000 and said the department will pursue grants and outside funding for such items while avoiding cosmetic improvements.
Why it matters: the vehicle expands local incident‑command capability and was also used as a cooling and command post during a recent community event, giving multiple agencies hands‑on exposure to the asset. The town’s long‑term upkeep and upgrade costs will affect departmental operating budgets and potential requests for outside funding.
