Commissioners delay purchase of new vehicles

Marion County Seal

Staff Reports

Marion County Commissioners again kicked the can down the road on purchasing new vehicles for the County Constables during their regular Monday meeting.

Pct 4 Commissioner Charlie Treadwell proposed the county purchase two 2021 Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks, at approximately $21,000 each. This would have been about the same price as the used vehicles originally proposed to purchase from the Texarkana Police Department.

Pct 1 Constable Ed Baird had proposed new Ford F150 Super Cab vehicles at $35-39,000 each.

Marion County Sheriff David Capps countered the proposal, citing a meeting planned this week with Enterprise Rent-A-Car fleet division, which would allow the county to lease up to 20 vehicles for three years, thus saving a lot of the purchase and maintenance expense.

Commissioners opted to table the purchase vehicles until Capps could report back to them at the next meeting.

In other business, Commissioners approved 

• allowing the Cypress River Airport Board to spend $7,334.60 to install new fencing along a portion of the property.

• designating February as Black History Month

• accepted the Racial Profiling reports from MC Constable Pct. 1

• accepted the Racial Profiling report waiver from MC Constable Pct 2

• accepted the Asset Forfeiture Report for 2021 from MC Constables Pct 1 and 2

Commissioners will meet again at 9 a.m. on April 28 in the Commissioners Courtroom in the Courthouse Annex.