Purchase will require town council approval
By GLEN WERLING
Police-package Dodge vehicles are unavailable for 2022, Ossian Police Chief Dave Rigney explained to members of the Ossian Metropolitan Board of Police Commissioners Tuesday evening. Chevrolet police-package vehicles are also unavailable, he added.
“The only option we have is a Ford Explorer,” Rigney said. He had a quote of $31,950.25 from Family Ford of Bluffton.
Currently all of the vehicles in the Ossian police fleet are Dodges — either Chargers or most recently, Durango sport utility vehicles.
Rigney did say that he might be able to buy a police package 2021 Durango, however he has been told that the price for one would exceed $38,000.
So, for about $7,000 less, the department could get a newer vehicle.
“Yeah, I think this is the way to go,” board president Caleb Chichester said. He added that he was a little frustrated that at just a little more than 100,000 miles on the engines on two of the Chargers the camshafts are already giving out.
Sgt. Stephanie Tucker said that she has already spoken with the mechanics who work on Ossian’s police fleet and has recommended using synthetic oil only in the engines from this point forward. She also planned to speak with the officers about idling times for the vehicles.
One of the cars has already been fixed. Rigney is hoping that if the department can get the Explorer purchased and delivered in a reasonable amount of time, he won’t have to get the other Charger fixed as it will become surplus and will be sold.
“I’m fine with pushing this off to the (town) council. Ultimately it’s their decision,” Chichester said of recommending the purchase of the Explorer to the council.
Tucker updated the commissioners on the progress of new-hires Evan Holliday and Nick White.
“Evan is doing really well at the academy. Nick has started his field training, he’s passed all of his written exams. The only thing he still needs to do to get his certification is to qualify one more time, so we’re waiting to hear back from the firearms instructor when we can get that done and then he’ll have his waiver process complete,” Tucker said.
The commissioners also learned from Rigney that the department spent $1,068.08 on gas for the patrol cars between Nov. 16 and Dec. 15, 2021. Between Dec. 16 and Jan. 15, the department spent $1,014.68.
The total 2021 fuel expense was $11,921.69, well within the $14,000 budgeted for fuel.
Rigney observed that $14,000 has again been budgeted for fuel this year, but with $4 a gallon gas this summer, the four year-long period of the department being able to stay easily within its budget may be over.
Between Nov. 28 and Dec. 25, the five officers worked 47.5 hours of overtime. Rigney worked the most overtime with 21.5 hours, Holliday was second at 14.5 hours, officer Russ Mounsey recorded 6.5 hours of overtime and Tucker recorded five hours of overtime.
Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 22, the officers worked 5.75 hours of overtime. Both Tucker and Mounsey logged two hours of overtime each and Holliday recorded 1.75 hours of overtime.
The overtime expense ending 2021 was $15,169.42 and the total salary expense was $268,790.23, well under the budgeted amount for salaries of $292,000.
Regarding the police pay matrix, Rigney said he has spoken with town council member Dennis Ealing and some changes have been made to the matrix.
“But I honestly don’t know where that stands at the moment,” Rigney said. He believed Ealing was going to discuss the changes that have been made to the matrix with the other council members.
Tucker said that no one has asked that the matrix be put on the town council’s meeting agendas.
“If we don’t keep asking for this to be put on the agenda, it’s just going to go away,” commissioner Bob Miller said, adding that the council members will not put the pay matrix on their meeting agenda unless the commissioners keep pushing for it.
glenw@news-banner.com
