Osage County Herald-Chronicle | Sheriff’s vehicle purchases approved

Osage County Commission
Sheriff’s vehicle purchases approved

Wayne White | Managing Editor

LYNDON—The Osage County Sheriff’s Office will soon have $113,716 in new vehicles on the road, after action taken Monday by the Osage County Commission to approve the purchases.

After reviewing bids from six dealerships for four police sedans and a pickup truck, commissioners approved a bid of $87,770 from Osage Chevrolet Buick, Inc., in Osage City, for four 2009 Chevrolet Impala police cars. The commission also accepted a bid of $25,946 for a Ford F-150 Supercrew 4x4 four-door pickup from John North Ford, Emporia.

In approving the bids, the commission also agreed to trade in a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup with 94,465 miles, two 2006 Dodge Chargers, with 84,504 miles and 134,746 miles, and a 2006 Chevrolet Impala with 86,550 miles. The bids included trade-in values for the used vehicles, with Osage Chevrolet Buick offering from $4,500 to $8,500 for them, depending on make and model.

According to Osage County Sheriff Laurie Dunn, the county will seek lease-purchase agreements for the vehicle purchases.

“We lease-purchase them for three years at a time,” Dunn said. “Usually when they’re paid off, we trade them in.”

Dunn said the sheriff’s office has a fleet of about two dozen vehicles, which includes one vehicle for each officer and a vehicle at the county jail.

Commissioners agreed to consider whether one of the used pickup trucks should be obtained for use by the county emergency management department.

The commissioners’ approval of the bids was made pending financing arrangements. After the purchases are completed, delivery is expected within eight to 12 weeks.

In other discussion, commissioners finalized the ongoing energy renovation project at the Osage County Courthouse. The commission met with Nathan Whitney, of Trane, who presented a certificate of final completion and acceptance for the project. The $1.1 million project installed heating and air conditioning systems, interior storm windows, low flow plumbing fixtures, and other energy–saving features in the 87-year-old courthouse.

According to Osage County Clerk Rhonda Beets, during a department head meeting earlier in the day, county officers expressed satisfaction with the completed project.

Whitney told commissioners that an inspection of the project by the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) was to be scheduled. Final approval by KSHS will provide a tax credit toward the project. Whitney said Trane’s warranty on the work will still be in effect when it is time to test the air conditioning system during cooling season.

In other business, the commission:

• met with Jim Foster, Carbondale, who told of his 20-year dealings with rails-to-trails issues in the county. He said he had determined the only hope for regulating the trail projects or holding trail developers accountable was through local government. Foster offered the commissioners or anyone who could prove him wrong a $100 bill, which he laid on the commissioners’ desk during his discussion. Commissioners agreed to research Foster’s concerns and review the pile of paperwork he presented to them.

• approved a conditional use permit for Mike Lollar, to allow a retail business and storage facility at 10919 S. Topeka Ave., near Carbondale. The approved petition allows the business to operate an antique and gift shop and “mini-mart” without fuel.

• approved the purchase of a Dell computer from Infinitec for the county land use office at a cost of $1,513.58.

• met with Virgil Scheid, of rural Vassar, regarding easements for an old family cemetery in Junction Township. Scheid is to consult with county counselor Delton Gilliland.

• learned that Osage County Health Department had contracted with Dr. Carrie Hagemann, of Cotton-O’Neil Clinic, Osage City, to be the health department’s medical advisor.