SILVER CREEK - Car shopping is always a difficult task, and doing so for the police department is no different.
The Silver Creek Village Board discussed which vehicle on state bid would be best to purchase for the police department at its workshop meeting Monday.
Silver Creek Police Chief Timothy Roche submitted information on four different vehicles on state bid: a Ford Explorer, a Ford Tahoe, a Dodge Charger and a Dodge Expedition.
There are funds budgeted in this year's police budget for a vehicle purchase to replace one of the Dodge Chargers coming off warranty.
Trustee Andrew Volk suggested looking at the Chevy Impalas, which are used by the Sheriff's Department, but Roche was quick to say he does not think a front-wheel drive vehicle would be good for the village.
Trustee Anna Frederickson was full of indecision as the board discussed the different prices on state bid for the vehicles.
"Let's schedule a special meeting, we can't make a split-second decision, options need to be weighed," Mayor Kurt Lindstrom said.
Trustee Amy Romanik disagreed, however. She said that after having the information for more than a week and the deadline approaching on Feb. 16, the board should be prepared to make a decision.
After a brief discussion about two-wheel or four-wheel drive, gas mileage and price differences, Roche said he would like time to go over the options with the board.
"I'd love to sit down and discuss these with you and show you the pros and cons of all of them. I don't think we do this justice by just flipping through this tonight, just pointing out the differences," Roche said.
In the end, board members were asked to go through the packets again, write down pros and cons, and a special meeting was scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. in the village hall.
In other business:
In the board's workshop Lindstrom said the school and town have not moved forward to approve the highway building as tax exempt is because the school is still waiting on a signed form. Village Attorney Andrew Kehrer said he would get to the bottom of it this week, as the deadline draws close.
The board tabled the one bid from Mike Gorka for $982.64 for a 1995 ambulance. The board accepted the bid for $5,908 for siding for the Gazebo in the Park from Vinyl Outfitters.
The board heard complaints from residents of 67 Hanover St. about water drainage problems. Water/Sewer Supervisor Herm Griewisch and Streets Supervisor Ralph Crawford told them the only solution would be to replace the drainage line on Lafayette Street which would cost thousands of dollars. The board said they would look into the cost.
The board created a capital reserve account for STOP DWI and allocated $2,972 to the account.
The board will hold its next regular meeting on Feb. 21, instead of Feb. 20, in honor of Presidents Day.
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