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Police chief urges phased vehicle replacements, cites worn fleet and high repair costs
Summary
The police chief told the Mabton City Council that several patrol vehicles have very high mileage and asked for a phased replacement plan, noting outfitting costs of roughly $25,000–$30,000 and higher purchase prices for fully equipped vehicles. Council members raised budget language and maintenance‑tracking requirements.
The police chief told the council he has been buying lower‑mileage cars for the department and urged a phased replacement plan rather than large, lump‑sum purchases. “These cars that I bought have never had any more than 50,000 miles,” he said, adding he hopes new cars can reach 100,000 miles if properly maintained.
Council discussion identified a group of older vehicles currently showing about 175,000 miles and a history of officers taking cars home, which has added mileage. Council members noted some previously purchased vehicles were higher mileage at the time of buy and said outfitting a vehicle could add about $25,000–$30,000; one speaker cited an available vehicle with 15,000 miles priced near $33,000, while fully equipped interceptors were discussed in the mid‑$60,000s.
A council member flagged a discrepancy in the paperwork: the resolution language referenced 'unbudgeted purchases' even though the chief said a vehicle purchase 'should've been budgeted.' City staff and council suggested offsetting procurement costs by reducing repair spending, and the chief described a plan to institute a written maintenance log and more frequent servicing cycles (oil changes and inspections every 3,000 miles) to prolong vehicle life. The chief also said officers assigned to older or limited vehicles would be restricted from high‑speed calls until vehicles are replaced or repaired.
The council did not record a formal vote on the purchase in the transcript; members discussed timing (one vehicle requested now, another potentially in late spring/early summer) and asked staff to clarify budget lines and salvage/sale proceeds for decommissioned vehicles.
