The Pilot News - Argos police to get new car

“The Crown Vic was the one we had electrical problems with,” Rudd explained. “It has 82,000 miles and per our five-year replacement plan, we’ve waited an extra year making this one do.”
He further explained that the department, as a general rule, puts back $12,000 each year for the assumed purchase of the five-year rotation and that with the economy as it stands, “now is an excellent time for anyone to buy a car.”
Dave Walker, town council vice president and police department liaison, said he felt the cost was “an amazing price,” and said he had been asked why the council would even consider purchasing a police vehicle when it recently turned down a request to purchase a new bucket truck.
“The difference between the bucket truck and a squad car is, the bucket truck is $120,000 and the police car is $20,000 and the police cars are run harder and wear out sooner,” he said. “They (the police) have to have a dependable vehicle. I don’t think it’s appropriate for our officers to have to wait for someone to give them a jump (start).”
And just that scenario did recently happen and council President George Null agreed on the purchase. “I’m in favor of it,” he said. “They (the department) have the money for it and have saved for it and have put it off for an extra year as it is.” Council member Linda Jones asked Rudd if “the town’s population justified the need for three (police) cars and Rudd answered that he felt it did, based on the fact that they don’t just serve the town, but also all of Walnut and Green Townships.
“We roll on all emergency scenes,” he added. Walker said if one of the three they have broke down again, that would leave the force with only two working units; that he felt the request was valid and said, “Especially when another tornado picks one up and tosses it around.” The council then agreed. The vehicle is expected to be delivered in four to six weeks and be on the road soon after detailing (with town and law enforcement decals) has been completed and the police equipment transferred and installed into it.
The council also agreed to join Indiana Municipal Power Association (IMPA) in support of their “cap and trade agreement” regarding coal-fired electric plants. It was said that many Indiana towns have so done this due to attempting to protect themselves from the projected raises in cost for electric service from Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), which provides electricity to the town. Council members also voted to, although not in full agreement, hire Sunshine Publishing Inc. of Battlefield, Ind. To consolidate all of the more than 970 sheets of town ordinances the town has in place to a bound book and computer CDs for future access and to be fully accessible, accurate and convenient for a cost of $7,300. Company representative Steve Egly was present at Wednesday’s meeting and explained to those in attendance that after the initial fee, for the first three years, making additions or updates would cost only an additional $250 and that would include 20 pages of typed and 40 digital information (such as including council and other meeting minutes).
He said that the only specific “disclusions” would be those such as massive ordinances of multiple papers like the town’s fund transfer ordinance or large bond ordinances. “These would show the first page and the rest would be recorded as digital images,” he said. At first council members Mary Correll and Linda Jones were against the idea, Jones claiming that: “I think it’s a good idea, I’m just not sure that now, with the economy the way it is, that this is the time to do that sort of thing.”