Council approves Percy’s cruiser bids
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Police Department will be receiving two new cruisers this spring from a local auto dealer, following City Council’s unanimous decision Feb. 7 to approve the bids of Percy’s Auto Sales, the second-lowest bids received for two vehicles — Dodge Chargers — under the department’s replacement schedule — passing up the lowest bids, submitted by Quirk, an Augusta car dealer, for a number of reasons.
Photo courtesy PIPDNEW CRUISERS — Percy’s Auto Sales’ bids for two new police cruisers were accepted by Presque Isle City Council during its monthly meeting, Feb. 7. The Dodge Chargers will be similar to this 2008 model currently in use at the Presque Isle Police Department.
City Manager Jim Bennett began discussion, explaining that the department has two units — one with about 124,000 miles on it and the other with around 130,000 — that the department was looking to replace.
“It’s routine to take out police cars after 100,000 miles for front-line use, then use them as back-line cars for a year or two,” said Bennett.
Sgt. Laurie Kelly, acting chief of the PIPD, told Council although Quirk’s bids were lower by about $370, the added expense of sending officers to pick up the vehicles would actually cost the department more than it would save and that Quirk’s automobiles — V-8 Ford Crown Victorias — weren’t as fuel-efficient.
“We generally have to pay people off duty to go pick up our on duty, then find someone to cover their shift. Also, the Dodge V-6 gets better mileage,” said Kelly.
“Our issue with going with someone local is that they are local and the cost difference of $371 would be made up in savings, not having to make the trip, getting local service and better gas mileage,” Kelly told Council.
Bennett said another reason to consider going with Percy’s over Quirk is this is the final year the manufacturer is offering the ‘Crown Vic’ as a “police package.”
“Dodge has been stepping up their vehicles for police use,” noted Bennett.
The PIPD currently operates eight vehicles: two dog vehicles, a pickup, three police cruisers, an SUV and the animal control car.
“What we do as new cruisers are bought to replace two of the three cruisers we have — which will become kind of hand-me-downs — Sgt. Erickson will switch out equipment. The older cars get the oldest equipment. The oldest vehicles get put for backup,” said Kelly.
Kelly said having Sgt. Erickson perform the work was also a cost savings to the department.
“He’s paid a small stipend and it means losing him (from patrol duties) for a short period of time to do so,” noted Bennett.
Bennett said it might save the department even more money if the older less fuel-efficient units were sold rather than used as backup, then “purchase a used four-cylinder truck or something rather than use hand-me-downs.”
Councilor Don Gardner said the department was “doing an outstanding job” at “recycling vehicles” for use by code enforcement, the Presque Isle Fire Department and such.
“We’ve made our money back,” said Gardner.
With discussion concluded, councilors voted unanimously to accept the bid for two 2011 V-6 Dodge Chargers at a cost of $23,683 each.
