BOARDMAN TRUSTEES Debate focuses on cruiser acquisition

One trustee thinks the township should buy from local dealerships.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Even after deciding to delay a decision on leasing new police cars, Boardman Township trustees debated the issue.
Robyn Gallitto, who was elected trustee earlier this month and will take office in January, questioned an item on Monday's meeting agenda calling for the lease of five 2006 Ford Crown Victoria cruisers through state purchasing from Statewide Ford Lincoln Mercury of Van Wert, Ohio, for $19,961 each.
Gallitto pointed out that there's only about $17,000 in the police department's unencumbered budget this year. She said she'd also like further investigation of the benefits of leasing over buying the cars and asked that voting on the item be postponed until January.
Police Chief Jeffrey Patterson didn't attend Monday's meeting so trustees agreed to remove the item from the agenda until the next meeting when Patterson will be able to address Gallitto's concerns.
Trustee Kathy Miller said she wanted to renew her request that the township buy vehicles from local dealerships.
"None of our local dealerships are in the state purchasing program," said Trustee Tom Costello.
He said that when the township bought vehicles from a local dealer a couple of years ago, the dealership didn't deliver what it promised.
Program participation
Curt B. Seditz, township administrator, also said that if the township opts to buy police cars from outside of state purchasing, it would be removed from the state purchasing program for other purchases too.
Miller said that other communities use the state purchasing program to get a price on a vehicle and then call local dealerships to try to arrange a deal.
Township Clerk William Leicht said he believes it would be a mistake for the township to try to save a small amount of money on cruisers if that means that it would lose money on other larger purchases as a result.
"Do you want to buy from local dealerships or not?" Miller asked Costello.
Costello answered that he wanted to stay with state purchasing.
"Then maybe we should wait until next year to do this," Miller said.