[0:00] Roll call. Uh, invitation will be given by councelor Thomas and pledge of [0:05] allegiance by councelor Bradis. [0:09] » Stephen Ford >> here. [0:10] » Brad Willis >> here. [0:11] » Leslie Evans >> here. Crystal Lacy [0:13] » here. Roger >> here. [0:15] » Scott Thomas >> here. [0:17] » Here >> everybody's here. [0:22] Father, [snorts] [0:32] we pray Lord that you just give us wisdom and guidance as we liberation [0:37] tonight as we head home. Pray for those who [0:40] name. Amen. Amen [0:45] to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it [0:50] stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice [0:56] for all. [1:03] » Special order of business. Uh recommendation was brought by the budget [1:06] committee for the police fleet uh because of availability of vehicles. [1:12] That's why we're having [snorts] this special meeting. [1:15] We have prepared uh two resolutions just in case actually one resolution for the [1:20] purchase of the vehicles and then I think that we have uh one of our uh [1:24] council members that'll that'll maybe make a suggestion on that. So anyway, um [1:31] obviously I I'll I'll turn it over to Josh uh and Chief Herring in the fact [1:35] that uh we have have been fighting this uphill battle with vehicles over there [1:41] at the PD and um uh [snorts] we had began to entertain enterprise rental [1:48] fleet um to to come in and and take care of all [1:54] of our vehicle needs over there. We've got some of our vehicles over there in [1:57] the in the police on the police department side of things that are 19 [1:59] years of age that we're we're still driving every day. And uh you know, [2:04] obviously that went arry with with Enterprise [2:09] uh still very disappointed in that was it was a very good program I think but [2:14] then they then they quit uh doing it for police vehicles. U so anyway uh [snorts] [2:22] Chief Herring picked up the ball uh vised with me a couple times. We've been [2:26] up to Jofflin [snorts] to look at edu, I think is the company's name. Uh, and [2:31] I'll turn it over to him and let him discuss to tell tell everybody what we [2:34] found out. So, so, thank you guys all for coming in. I [2:39] know I'm not the only one on the agenda, but I do appreciate you guys coming in [2:44] and taking the time to listen to me. Um, so obviously I've been working at the [2:49] police department for about 20 years. And 20 years ago, we had five officers [2:54] and five vehicles. [snorts] At that time, replacing my oldest unit each year [2:59] kept our fleet current. But now with 13 officers, 13 units, and one reserve unit [3:04] and growing, still only adding just the one vehicle every year hasn't kept pace. [3:10] Uh we currently have vehicles ranging from 5 to 19 years old as the mayor just [3:15] said um responding to calls to service. So coming to your house, we have a [3:19] 19year-old car, maybe a 16 year old car. Um we've had several issues with the [3:25] 16-year-old cars obviously um transmission wise. Um but just obviously [3:31] the older those cars get, the more problematic they are for us at the at [3:35] the police department. And that's not good when you're trying to answer a [3:38] domestic call and your car breaks down and you know you have to find some other [3:43] way to get to it or find somebody to come pick you up and take take you. So [3:47] that's not always the fun fun part of it. Um as as we all know vehicles are [3:52] not cheap and their maintenance isn't is just as expensive. Um in the last few [3:56] years I've just been paying attention to a lot of our vehicles that are are in or [4:01] past the seven and eight year mark which have been more problematic for us. um [4:05] everything from water pumps in the Ford Explorers costing upwards of $5,000 to [4:10] replace to the Dodge Durango and the Chargers um having coolant issues and [4:15] currently cost us two motors in in one Durango and one Dodge uh Charger. Um [4:22] the that brings me to another issue. As we continued to just get one vehicle a [4:26] year on state bid, those vehicles change. From when I started, we were [4:31] doing Crown Vicks, then it changed one year to to Chevy and Palace, then [4:35] Chargers, then Durangos, Ford Explorers, and then to Chevy Titles, which means [4:40] that's an wide array of of models in one fleet. and uh makes it almost impossible [4:47] to predict a budget on upcoming general maintenance. The tires uh oil changes [4:52] cost much less predicting something major when it breaks down um with all [4:57] the different year models and the mates and of those vehicles in one fleet. [5:02] » [clears throat] >> Uh what I propose to the budget [5:05] committee with the help of ESU pursuits and government capital who the city is [5:11] currently working with now um we have an opportunity to standardize my fleet [5:16] across the patrol division with six Taho fully updated and one admin truck fully [5:23] updated um to replace all of our oldest vehicles [5:28] except for two. One is an 8-year-old vehicle and one is a six-y old vehicle. [5:32] The 8-year-old vehicle has 50,000 miles on it, so it's pretty squared away. Um, [5:36] and it happens to be our animal control truck that we have. And then the [5:40] six-year-old vehicle, um, we had no no issues out of, and as of today, we've [5:45] had no issues. Um, so the reason why I picked the Chevy Tahoe, uh, obviously [5:51] they are a little more expensive. You're going to you're going to pay for what [5:54] you get. And uh we currently have two newer Taho in our fleet that you guys [5:59] graciously let me uh purchase a couple years back. And uh getting that the same [6:05] vehicles across the patrol division to be able to um keep up with the [6:11] maintenance, keep up with all of that uh better. And then also like there's a lot [6:16] of safety issues when it comes to law enforcement. You get in, you get an [6:21] officer that's driving say a Chevy Imp, and then something happens and he has to [6:25] jump in a Dodge Durango. Well, it's not easy for him to just jump in that car. [6:30] Sometimes the shifter is a spin shifter, sometimes it's a column shifter, [6:34] sometimes it's on the floor. So, there's just things that will slow an officer [6:39] down trying to respond to those cars. But if they're the same standardized [6:43] across the patrol division, it'll make it a lot easier for us to get in those [6:46] cars, know where everything is, and respond to those calls in a timely [6:50] manner. Um, the uh Chevy Tahoe has generally holds [6:56] it a better resale value compared to something like the Ford Expedition [7:00] largely due to its strong demand and reliability. Uh, both vehicles are [7:04] durable, but the Tahoe has a reputation for longevity. And the Tahoe typically [7:10] edges out the competition and resale uh value due to its uh cons constant [7:17] demand. People just want they like the Taho. They're durable. Families use [7:22] them. They're work vehicles. Uh the feds right now, they are using them and they [7:28] are buying them up. And that is part of the reason why we're here tonight trying [7:32] to get this on in front of you guys is because that is happening across the the [7:38] United States. Um the space is another thing with those [7:42] Taho. You know, we put all these cages in our in our vehicles. You got a [7:47] Durango that is very small, very tight. You got a Charger is really really small [7:52] and really really tight. with the Tahoe, the space allows enough space um for law [7:59] enforcement, for the prisoner transport cages, um just everything that's [8:03] necessary for the officer to do the job. So, the Tahoe is is the pick for that. [8:08] Um going back to maintenance, um I've talked to Jason Yates probably a half a [8:13] dozen times and uh just the major uh work and repair that he does for most of [8:18] our vehicles. Um, I'm pretty sure he could tell you that Taho is probably his [8:23] number one pick when it comes to to vehicles that he would work on and [8:29] getting parts availability um, and just the reliability of it. Um, he's been [8:34] doing this type of work for a long time, so I respect anything that he tells me. [8:38] I'm not I'm not a mechanic, so I can't tell you that that man back there could [8:42] tell you anything I need to know about about a vehicle. Um, but and also it [8:47] holds its warranty just or holds a warranty just like any vehicle that you [8:50] would buy off of a lot. Um, it's a limited warranty uh that includes [8:54] bumper-to-bumper coverage, three years or 36,000 mi. And then the powertrain [8:58] warranty is 5 years and 60,000 mi, whichever one comes first. So, going [9:03] back to the ESU Pursuits, using them to build these units, um, the equipment [9:08] that they put in these units, they will actually warranty that that equipment. [9:13] So when you're talking about the cages, the sirens, the lights, the gun locks, [9:17] all of that is covered by three years of warranty. And then the main brain that [9:22] runs the lights is a 5year warranty. So these [clears throat] guys are sharp [9:28] when it comes to this stuff after we spoke to them and they uh they have it [9:33] down to where they know that if they put that in that car that they're going to [9:38] warranty it theirelves and they will send a tech to us in Huntsville. we [9:43] would not have to go to Joplin. They would send them to us and they would fix [9:46] a light or a gun lock or whatever it was that was wrong with it for the three [9:50] years or five years on the plane. Um [9:56] [clears throat] so I obviously choosing the ESU to build [9:59] these um they have several locations all over the the US. Um they have years of [10:04] experience after talking to them. Most of them are law enforcement, fire, [10:08] emergency personnel. Um they do do fire, they do EMS, they do anything that has [10:14] to do with uh emergency response vehicles. Um they're the ones that's [10:20] doing the installs on these vehicles. So they have a good idea of what a law [10:23] enforcement off or law enforcement vehicle needs, a fire fire department [10:27] vehicle, what they need in that vehicle. Um ESU also does tradeins. So, if we buy [10:34] vehicles from them and they put this equipment in the vehicle, whenever we're [10:39] ready to get rid of that vehicle, we can go back to them and say, "We want to [10:43] trade this in." And if it's seven vehicles, six vehicles, whatever it is, [10:48] or just three of those, we can take those, trade them into them. They will [10:52] give us top dollar because they are the ones that put the equipment in there. [10:55] They know how good that vehicle was done. And of course, if you're buying a [10:59] vehicle that's got the resale value, then they're more likely to give you top [11:02] dollar on the trade and then you just go right back into what you're what you [11:07] started with in the the first place. Um, the mayor the mayor and I took a trip [11:12] down there. He told you guys that and we spoke to them for several hours. Um, [11:17] they gave us advice, they gave us options, they answered all the questions [11:21] crazy from both of us and absolutely had no pressure techniques. The guy that [11:26] talked to us was a salesman at all. He was actually still a law enforcement [11:31] officer that worked in Joplin and uh so he had good good advice on stuff that [11:37] they run into all the time over there in Joplin. Um [11:42] so I went and I just so after all that I went on in 2024 and 2025 and I pulled [11:48] our vehicle maintenance and our equipment mostly the upfitting side of [11:52] the equipment and in 2024 we spent 29 $325.37 [11:59] out of a $30,000 budget in maintenance just in repairs. [12:04] In 25, we spent $18,978 in just in repairs out of a $29,000 [12:09] budget. In the equipment budget, it consistently around 60,000, but just [12:15] particularly in upfitting, it ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 depending on what [12:19] you're putting in the car. And then obviously if it's a K9 unit, it goes up [12:24] from there. >> And and I'll add this SU group since [12:27] it's kind of cradle to grave uh what they do for these vehicles. Uh since [12:32] they have the the uh in stock [12:38] build out for one of these cars like the cages and K9 units and all that. Since [12:43] they have all that in stock, it actually saved us on the front end of this [12:47] probably about $40,000 from what we've done in the past. buy one vehicle and [12:51] then take it to somebody to customize it for for a police unit, right? And and if [12:56] they're doing all six or seven of these vehicles all at one time, it saves us [13:01] about $40,000 historically from what we've spent in the past to do those [13:05] vehicles. So, that's a good point to add to what they do. [13:09] » Yeah. Because if we continue just for say the next six years buying one [13:12] vehicle every year, that's $60,000 if you if you're going by the $10,000 mark [13:17] to to upfit that vehicle every year. So, we're roughly paying 60,000. So, yes, [13:22] the 40,000 would be >> y [13:24] » be very accurate. Um, on the [snorts] 2024 and the 2025, again, if we just [13:29] followed that trend like I just said and we ran that out for six years, um, you [13:34] would see it's a $565,000 um, if of 2024, if we just continue to [13:40] do the same thing, spending the vehicle fund every year, upfitting it every [13:45] year, and then the maintenance. Obviously, with newer vehicles, we're [13:49] I'm hoping with newer vehicles that are my maintenance budget will actually be [13:54] better off because I'm not having to take every vehicle that's 13 years old, [13:59] 16 years old, 19 years old, and trying to keep it on the road when I've got all [14:03] these new the newer vehicles to to not put so much maintenance into. Um, and [14:09] then again with 2025's uh trend, if it stayed, it would be around 503,000. [14:16] um if we did it for six years, just continued on the same route. Um as far [14:20] as financing, um ESU uses Capital [snorts] Fleet Solutions and we got a [14:26] quote from them for a six-year lease on seven units upfitted and it was $537,000 [14:33] and at 6.9% interest. And me and the mayor [14:38] kind of chuckled when when we saw the saw that because we knew that the [14:43] interest rate was not that. And uh he actually came up with the idea of [14:48] looking at the government capital which the fire department and the city is [14:52] working with and uh I sent it over to DC over there and uh he came back with his [14:59] at 4.89% 89% interest, same vehicles, same price for [snorts] the six years. [15:06] The difference in the ESU, the capital fleet, and uh going with DC at the [15:11] government capital is the first one was a lease. It was a true lease. So we we [15:16] would not technically own those vehicles or the equipment in there until it was [15:20] done at the end of its lease. With the DCs, if we go with the government [15:24] capital, we own them as soon as soon as the checks wrote and they're delivered [15:28] to us. >> And we're not hamstring by what offer a [15:31] lot of times certain mileage, certain hours on vehicles. And now they're [15:35] geared more for police and fire rescue type vehicles, but at the same time, as [15:40] everybody in here knows, uh, a lot of times, uh, you know, we c we get the we [15:45] get the calls and complaints sometimes that people don't realize that these [15:48] guys have have performed maybe an investigative duty. They're sitting in [15:53] their car. they're they have to have that car on with the computer running so [15:56] they can go to ACIC so they can do everything that they need to do from [16:00] their car. Uh those vehicles are constantly running so we're not [16:04] hamstring by that as far as the leasing goes. [16:06] » Right. So the the or government capital when [16:12] they sent that back at the 4.89% 9%. The the yearly payment was 106,31447 [16:20] compared to the 6% interest at 110,000 a year. And and those payments obviously [16:27] they don't start until the a year after the financing, which obviously helps my [16:31] budget tremendously in the year 2026 by not having to to make a payment until [16:36] 2027. Um and so what I proposed to the budget committee uh using the government [16:42] capital due to its lower interest rates and uh using my vehicle fund which was [16:49] it's 55,000 is typically what we get in our budget for a new vehicle every year [16:55] and then taking 20,000 from my equipment which makes a $75,000 down payment [17:02] towards the 537,000 which would bring it down to 462. 2 at [17:09] 4.98% interest for the six years and it brings it under 100,000 around 91, [17:15] uh, 590 is what it brings it down to, which is definitely more manageable for [17:20] me even out of my current budget now if I was to pull that out there. Um, I'm [17:25] not going to lie to you. I don't think I mean probably the first two or three [17:29] years I would be okay as far as maintenance and and the equipment, I'd [17:33] be fine. But um [snorts] it's it's it would get it would get hard come you [17:38] know the fifth year, sixth year, seventh year trying to make it to where we're [17:42] actually [clears throat] profiting off of the cars because we [17:45] have newer cars with less miles and things like that. But uh I definitely [17:49] think that that it's doable the 91,000 to uh to pay out of my budget if I had [17:56] to. >> I think uh on on this year's budget, [17:58] just so you know, you can see down here what Chief Herring prepared the 55,000. [18:04] That's a line item that he's got in his budget right now. Uh and he's got an [18:08] additional 60,000 I think under equipment. Uh he's proposing taking [18:14] 55,000 using 20,000 out of the equipment budget and then 10,000 out of [18:18] maintenance, which would be $85,000 a year that we're already currently paying [18:22] out uh for the use of the vehicle. So, we're getting really close with that [18:27] $75,000 uh dollar down payment. We're getting really close to only being we're [18:32] within uh $6,59010 of what our today's budget is. So 26 [18:40] budget. Every year we end up putting a little bit more into these budgets. [18:44] Obviously, you know, we've done it for the fire department. This gets us a [18:48] start in the right direction of of maintaining a one type of vehicle in the [18:53] fleet. Mr. Yates is here. He can he can vouch. He and I have had private [18:57] conversations about this and and uh you know I mean Jason gets to work on a [19:03] little bit of everything out there at his shop, but he said the Taho seem to [19:06] have worked out all the bugs in 23 I think 23 and 24 and these 25 and 26 [19:13] vehicles are are the uh cream of the crop so to speak. again that fiveyear [19:18] 60,000 milei warranty uh we get to that that's almost the life of this thing uh [19:24] and what what Chief Herring's proposed I think is absolutely a doable thing. I [19:29] think the budget committee agrees with that in the aspect of u of of what we're [19:34] currently financing and how we increase that every year. I think this will pay [19:38] for itself. Now does that mean that it's going to get us out of the hole that [19:42] we're in now? Yes. in the fact that we've got 19 year old vehicles that [19:46] we're replacing. Is it going to are we going to have another jump off [19:52] point at some point in time? Probably six, seven, eight years down the road, [19:57] yes, we may have to look at replacing more and keeping some of these as part [20:00] of our fleet. But what it does is it gets us out of that routine of buying [20:04] one vehicle a year. uh and it doesn't really affect the bottom line, so to [20:09] speak, in the fact that it's $6,590 more what we're proposing now than what [20:14] we were already going to spend this year. So, uh I think it's a no-brainer. [20:19] I absolutely support the idea. Chief, I want to tell you, you done a fantastic [20:23] job of preparing this and thanks for not dropping the ball. I know I get busy a [20:27] lot of times and and you stayed lazy being focused on this and I think it's [20:32] high time we do something about it. So for that, I I greatly appreciate all the [20:36] work that you put into this. And now we'll open it up for questions to our [20:40] council members. [20:46] Anybody have any questions for Chief? [20:51] » Yes. [laughter] >> Did you get better the second time? [20:54] » Yeah. >> They always say that the first version [20:59] is always second. So, some people had a first version tonight. I had a first. [21:05] » You did good both times. >> You did both. [21:07] » Yeah. I think you done a fantastic job as well. Um, the only other thing that [21:12] I'll add to this and our our and I got to think about this today. Uh, Jessica's [21:17] not here. I think since it's a financial u perform that we're looking at like [21:22] like financing money, I'm not sure if it has to go out uh like [21:30] you know in a formal bid pack since since we've been keeping everybody [21:33] astute of everything that's going on here with the council and all that. I [21:38] don't know that it has to, but that's the only that's the only caveat that I [21:43] thought of that would hinder us from buying these tomorrow. [21:47] » I thought government capital might be there are certain [21:53] there are certain ones you can do business with and that's already been [21:57] taken care of. And I kind of thought they were [22:00] I uh >> I know that they are used around the [22:03] state. That's how we got in touch with them in the first place. [22:04] » So if that's the case, you may not we may not have a a cool off or waiting [22:08] period for that. But but we will find that out. That's that's the legality of [22:12] it. But what we need tonight is decide if we want to enter into this agreement [22:17] with government capital. Uh and if so, uh we need to take a vote on that. Well, [22:25] I'll make the motion that we proceed using government council for the [22:30] purchase of the six Taho and the one truck and [22:37] » approve resolution. The the only thing that I would like to [22:41] see done instead of u depleting his budget in 2026 [22:48] since we're just in February that the 75,000 down payment be made out in [22:52] general so we don't [22:58] » yeah so we so since you all since you all made this suggestion in our in our [23:05] budget committee meeting we went ahead and prepared another resolution just [23:09] that >> um we'll have I think we'll have to vote [23:11] on those two separate things but um so table hold that thought. So we have a [23:18] motion on the on the table right now uh to go ahead and proceed with government [23:23] capital uh corporation for the financing of the $462,573 [23:29] at 4.89% 89% of annual payments beginning April or May of 2027 [23:36] uh for $91,59010 that'll come directly from the budget of [23:41] the police department. >> Is it 4.89 or 4.98? [23:47] » It's 4.89. This is the original sheet. >> Okay. [23:52] » That's just a typo. It's 4.89%. >> Yeah. Uh so we have a motion for that. [24:01] Do we have a second? >> Make a second. [24:04] » Second from Guy. Uh, do we need a roll call since it's [24:09] half a million dollars? >> Call. [laughter] [24:13] » Yes. >> Yes. [24:15] » Leslie Evans. >> Yes. Chris Lacy. [24:18] » Yes. >> Roger O. [24:19] » Yes. >> Thomas. [24:20] » Yes. >> Yes. [24:23] » Yes. >> Mr. May I make a move motion that we [24:27] approve resolution 6-2026. >> I'll second that. [24:31] » Have a motion. Have a second. All those in favor say I. [24:34] » Uh that is a resolution regarding a lease purchase agreement for the [24:38] purposes of procuring police units and upfitting. And I won't you all have been [24:44] that was included in your packet. So you all had a chance to look at that. That [24:48] resolution passes. Okay. Next. >> Well Leslie opened the door. You told [24:53] her to wait. Yes. So Leslie, you want to make a motion for resolution number [24:58] 7-2026? >> Yes. I make a motion that we approve [25:02] resolution 7-206. >> I second. [25:05] » Have a second by Miss Lacy. All those in favor say I. [25:10] » All oppose, same sign. And just to go on the record, u this is a resolution [25:14] amending the adopted 2026 budget for the city of Huntsville. and and I'll I'll [25:20] cut down here. [snorts] Basically, what we are doing to be very clear, [25:25] we have the $75,000 in the police department's budget. We're leaving that [25:30] in there. Uh we have about 980 some odd,000 in unallocated funds that that [25:36] has not been budgeted. We will we will draw from unallocated funds for the $75 [25:42] or $75,000. So, it does not affect uh Chief [25:46] Herring's budget this year at all. And the city will cover a $75,000 down [25:51] payment is what that resolution is about. [25:54] » That also leaves us in good shape for your first payment. [25:59] » And and whenever we talked about this, but just so everybody's clear how we [26:03] budget on these things, we start in about September, October, uh we'll add. [26:08] So, so we'll just have to remind ourselves that'll be a carryover. So, [26:12] you'll have better almost I would say depending on how we budget you'd [26:17] [snorts] have almost two years worth of payments already at your disposal [26:20] whenever you got ready to do it >> right [26:22] » at any point in time DC Greer with government capital said that we could [26:26] always go in if we pay a big chunk down we can go in if interest rates are are [26:31] lower we'll find out in March if they're going to go down again uh March or April [26:35] uh hopefully they will if President Trump gets his way uh I'm hoping he does [26:41] uh and they do go down um If that happens, we can always put a big [26:46] down payment toward this and refinance uh right after our first payment. [26:51] [clears throat] So, >> there should be some dollars from the [26:54] resale. >> Yes. Yes. [26:56] » Yes. And I we've got some ideas about that and Chief Herring and I will be [27:01] working on those things. So, >> how much does it cost us to get signage? [27:07] [cough and clears throat] >> So, obviously you guys have seen the [27:10] newer Taho that we have. I don't want to say it's plain, but it's a very basic. [27:15] It's a state police, state highway police setup, [snorts] and that is very [27:21] inexpensive. It's roughly $300 just for the stickers. I put them on. So, I'm not [27:26] paying for somebody to put them on because they are so easy. [27:28] » And Josh has at his disposal act money. >> Yes. The 988 pack. [27:33] » The 988. >> It has to go towards vehicles. It can't [27:35] go towards anything else. So, either equipment or just the vehicle itself. [27:40] And now that we're doing the step program, we may have potentially some [27:44] money's coming to us. >> I've heard that the step program has [27:46] actually bought like bought outright departments cars. So [27:51] » part of the reason why we're >> do we have a motion for adjournment so [27:56] we can let the planning committee Oh, and and to the planning commission, [28:00] thank you all so much for waiting patiently. Uh thank you very much for [28:04] that. Appreciate it, >> sir. Yes, sir. Make the motion. [28:07] » Tim Ford, let's go. Let's go home. Let's planning commit me.