Commissioners Approve Purchase of New Vehicle for Sheriff’s Department

By Jeremy Coumbes on February 10, 2021 at 8:43am

The Morgan County Commissioners had a light agenda during their meeting Monday morning, with the bulk of the discussion focusing on a new vehicle for the Sheriff’s Department.

The County Commissioners voted in approval for the purchase of a new squad car for the Sheriff’s Department.

Morgan County Sheriff Mike Carmody says his department is getting to the point of needing to replace vehicles as able. He says most of the Department’s cruisers are nearing or over 100,000 miles of service.

Sheriff Carmody says the new cruiser will be an all-wheel-drive SUV that he had to put in for months ago due to high demand. Carmody says the new vehicle is following suit with vehicles the department has purchased in the past, as they are being acquired locally.

We want two vehicles locally from two different dealerships in town. This one we’re looking to buy a Chrysler Dodge from Jacksonville. They are very nice, I gave them some prices of where you can get them other places. They matched what they can do.”

Carmody says it’s worth it in the long run, to buy the vehicle local by both keeping the county’s dollars in the community and saving the department in needing to send two employees to pick up one purchased out of state that could result in the need for an overnight stay depending on how far away a better deal was.

Carmody says the two vehicles previously purchased in the last two and half years were paid for out of the Sheriff’s Department budget out of the DUI and Forfeitures funds.

The County Commissioners agreed it was the right move to purchase the vehicle locally and to use budgeted county funds for the purchase. Carmody says one of the previously purchased vehicles was a van for the corrections side of his department.

The van was bought used because we have to transport so many prisoners at one time. We have been forced to rent the vehicles to transport seven inmates. We have a van that can transport seven inmates. We about four right now that are ready to go to the prison, so we will use that for transport, doctors’ offices, and just all-around corrections use.”

Carmody says once the new squad car is in service, his department will retire two vehicles and place them up for auction.

In other business, Morgan County Clerk Jill Waggoner reported early voting continues in her office for the Jacksonville Mayoral Primary Election. Waggoner says to date between 25 and 30 people have voted early in-person, with another 20 applications for mail-in ballots received.

Board of Commissioners Chair Ginny Fanning reminded those in attendance of the upcoming long weekend. The Morgan County Courthouse will be closed this Friday in observance of Lincoln’s Birthday, and Monday in observance of President’s Day.