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Council accepts cannabis‑tax grant for impaired‑driving enforcement; electric motorcycle included, vote 4‑0 with one abstention
Summary
Council voted to accept a cannabis tax fund grant that funds impaired‑driving enforcement including an electric motorcycle, training and equipment. Police Chief McCaffrey said the package includes post‑certified training and that sustained DUI checkpoints would likely not be feasible without the grant; Vice Mayor Giff abstained.
The Calistoga City Council voted Aug. 4 to accept a cannabis tax fund grant that funds impaired‑driving enforcement and associated equipment, including an electric motorcycle, training and related gear.
Police Chief McCaffrey joined remotely and explained that the grant package includes an electric motorcycle, equipment and post‑certified training for officers. He said the department included the motorcycle in the application to support saturation patrols, DUI checkpoints and traffic enforcement, and that the electric motorcycle offers lower storage and maintenance needs compared with a gasoline motorcycle. “Besides the motorcycle, it includes all the equipment, as well as the training through a post certified course,” McCaffrey said.
Council members pressed the chief on whether the motorcycle was a required element of acceptance and asked about storage, maintenance and the cost implications of adding a new vehicle type to the fleet. McCaffrey said the grant was submitted as a package and that if the city declined the motorcycle component it likely would need to reapply; he added that electric motorcycles require minimal maintenance and the grant covers training.
The council voted on the item; the clerk recorded Mayor Williams, Council members Lopez Ortega, Cooper and Eisenberg voting yes and Vice Mayor Giff abstaining. The motion passed 4–0 with one abstention. Council members expressed support for impaired‑driving enforcement but some said they retained reservations about adding a new vehicle type without a long‑term plan for maintenance and assignment.
What’s next: staff will accept the grant and implement training and equipment procurement consistent with grant terms; council asked staff to provide operational details and plans for storage, maintenance and officer assignments.
