City to spend $30k on new SUV for fire chief
BY BONNIE L. JACKSON
Last Tuesday at the regular monthly board meeting, Hazlehurst Mayor Henry Banks exercised his voting authority to settle the long standing issue of what vehicle to purchase for the fire department.
Four aldermen were present: Shirley Sandifer, Ron Sims, Frank Jones, and Daryl McMillian.The vote to purchase a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe was 2-2, with Sandifer and Jones voting yea. Mayor Banks cast the deciding yea vote, as Alderman Rick Akin was out of town and was not present for the vote.
The city will purchase the SUV on state contract at a cost of $29,135 once it is fully equipped.
The action ends a five month battle over what vehicle Fire Chief Gabriel Harvey will drive – a truck or a car, or in this case, SUV. Even so, it still did not garner the approval from the aldermen who initially wanted to purchase a truck.
According to government rules and regulations, if the State can supply the vehicle, only one quote is needed. And, that was all that was collected.
The 2011 Dodge Charger that was initially purchased for the fire department has been purchased by the police department. HPD has lost several of its patrol cars to accidents. Most recently, a car was hit by a citizen and was totaled.
Chief Swilley was given permission to purchase two used highway patrol cars at a total cost of $6,400. The budget was amended in the amount of $5,849 to cover this transaction.
