VBT Board approves new pickup truck for fire marshal on 6-1 vote

Although it was in the 2019 budget, the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its Sept. 4 meeting approved, on a 6-1 vote, purchase of a 2018 Ford F-150 4×4 Super Crew Police Responder from Atchinson Ford for the fire department.
Trustee Paul White voted no, saying there were too many bells and whistles on the vehicle and the board should spend taxpayer money on basic, less costly vehicles.
The “Race Red” pickup is on the Atchinson lot. The cost is not to exceed $36,000, which is state pricing.
Fire Marshal McInally said the purpose of the Super Crew model is to conduct in-vehicle interviews at fire scenes and to transport persons involved in an emergency response. He said it is capable of towing the fire safety Smoke House to schools, which is his responsibility.
Trustee White especially objected to the Sirius XM Radio, remote start, reverse sensing, XLT Chrome Package, Chrome Step Bar, sliding rear window, and voice-activated navigation system.
“This is too much for us,” Trustee White said.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara said the XLT is the base model for Ford and they gave the township $1,000 back.
Trustee White said when he talked to Supervisor McNamara on the phone, McNamara told him the only option it had was Sirius.
“That’s nice for Texas ranchers,” White said of all the options, saying it wasn’t proper for a township using taxpayers’ money.
Trustee Kevin Martin said the navigation system will be disconnected and Sirius is by subscription.
“This is an expensive vehicle,” White continued, noting there are other vehicles with base packages. “We want to be a premier township,” but this is too much.
“I’m going to vote no to spending this amount of money on a fancy vehicle,” White said.
“We need to get a better process in place,” said Trustee Sherry Frazier of the procedure used. “We did it last year and got an extra-big cab for a single building inspector.”
She complimented Atchinson Ford for stepping up and getting the township a vehicle with extras. She said they always should buy local if they can.
“We always take the lowest bid,” Supervisor McNamara said, adding this is state pricing and the $36,000 is what the township is getting it for.
Trustee Frazier said it was in the 2019 budget, but “we’ll get along with a 2018 model.”
Trustee Reggie Miller said last year was a different scenario and it was not appropriate last year. But, this is the end of the model year and the township is getting extra bells and whistles on it just to get rid of it off the lot.
In other business at the Sept. 4 meeting, the board:
• Held a moment of silence in honor of former Trustee Donna Clark who died the previous week. Treasurer Sharry Budd made the announcement, recalling Clark was appointed to finish the term of Pat Birbeck and then won four-year terms in 1992 and 1996. She retired in 2000 to travel with her husband Bob and lived in Arizona and Florida. She worked as a paraprofessional at Rawsonville Elementary School for years;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara announce the township has a box for old flags in the police lobby. It has been in place for just two weeks and already has 86 old flags in it;
• Heard McNamara report the township ladder truck will hold a large American flag 100 feet high on Sept. 11 at Grace Lake Corporate Center;
• Approved the second and final reading of an ordinance to rezone 9275 Haggerty Road from C-1, General Business, to OT, Office Technology for US Signal high tech center at the northeast corner of Haggerty and Tyler roads;
• Approved the second and final reading of an ordinance that adds the High Tech, Data Processing, and Computer Centers use to the M-1, Light Industrial zoning district;
• Heard Matthew Best, Director of Public Services, announce the township is working with Chase on outside security and it has sought a building permit for inside renovations. He said it is a $23 million project. He said the high-tech center is across the street from the new US Signal high tech center site;
• Voted 6-1 to approve a new purchasing policy, with White voting no. Treasurer Budd said she pulled the credit card policy and travel policy out of the overall policy to make it more understandable. The other two will be separate policies;
• Approved a credit card policy on a 5-2 vote with Trustees White and Frazier voting no. There was a lot of discussion on whether credit card users “must” or “may” be required to turn in receipts for purchases. Also, Trustee Martin added that they had two weeks to come up with the receipts. There were loud disagreements and board members talking over each other, so Supervisor McNamara declared a five-minute recess before continuing the meeting;
• Removed from the agenda the new Travel, Meal and Lodging Expenses Policy because it was discussed at length at the work/study session earlier in the afternoon and deemed not ready for a vote;
• Approved a $59,229 contract with Blue Ribbon Contracting for maintenance improvements needed at the French Landing Dam. This item was added at the last minute by Best who said VBT owns the dam and the township has to pay for certain maintenance. Eagle Creek purchased STS Hydro, which operates the dam, and so work that was supposed to be done last year was delayed. Eagle Creek went out for bids and selected Blue Ribbon. Best said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires the township to have a plan in place and in June or July a FERC inspector said the township has to plan for maintenance by Sept. 15. The township has a fund for the maintenance, Budd said. The work to be done is on the riprap embankments along the dam and the roadway; and
• Heard compliments on the new, smooth surface of McBride Ave. and heard complaints on the condition of the cemeteries, especially Otisville on Riggs Road.
Earlier in the day the township board went into closed-door session with the Local Development Finance Authority to discuss pending Visteon litigation.