JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Whitwell’s Board of Mayor & Commissioners (BoMC) has approved the purchase of nine new vehicles combined for the Whitwell police and public works departments and for the community park staff.
During the meeting, City Manager Lonnie Cleek explained a workshop meeting was held prior to the town’s public meeting regarding various city owned vehicles. He described how different vehicles were listed that needed a large number of repairs, all of which added up to significant costs. Because of this, it was suggested the city council would apply for and use a bank loan to purchase new vehicles for the police and public works departments, in addition to an ATV for Whitwell City Park employees to utilize on park grounds.
Vice Mayor Mike Dillion shared the nine vehicles listed needed for the three facilities within Whitwell, each totaling various amounts in costs. For the police department, five police cars are to be purchased at a price of $287,902, while three utility trucks for public works was aimed at $132,000 in price. As for the ATV, $15,000 is needed to make the purchase, totaling the total costs to purchase all nine vehicles to $434,920.
“We have to get these vehicles,” Dillon said. “We can’t keep putting bandages on them. That’s how we’ve always operated. We have to move forward with this city, for our citizens deserve the best.”
Whitwell Mayor Sandra Crabtree said the purchase of the vehicles greatly aligned with the board’s five-year vision of providing new equipment to all the main departments. She explained the plan centered around seeing where the city will stand within the next five years as the board, throughout the five years, seek ways into providing towards and making further improvements within the community. One of the ways the board is doing this is to provide all major departments with new vehicles every three years. By doing so would allow each facility be granted with new equipment, and not worry on costly repairs.
“We’re excited about being able to do that,” Crabtree said. “I think it’s a good thing and it will also help with the ability to raise their pay and to be able to hire new officers.”
The board unanamously agreed to make the purchase during the meeting, and all three facilities are set to receive the new vehicles very soon.