Atlanta approves two new patrol cars

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com

New Atlanta Chief Jay Womack is wasting no time in actively seeking ways to improve the department.
On May 16 he appeared before city council to request $38,900 to purchase and equip two new patrol cars for the department’s fleet. He said that there are two cars currently in the fleet that cannot be put into service. One of the cruisers, he said, has engine trouble. The other was irreparably damaged in a high-water rescue earlier this year. He said that they do not have backup cars if another stops working.
City Manager David Cockrell agreed. “We’ve got to keep our fleet up,” he said. “You’re never going to have to not buy police cars.”
Womack said that he contacted the Missouri Highway Patrol, who sells from their own fleet. The vehicles Womack requested are 2014 Dodge Chargers that have been upgraded with a “police package.”
On average the cars will have between 50,000 and 53,000 miles on them. The cars will cost the city $16,950 each. The city would then pay $2,500 to install additional equipment into the cars for a total of $19,450 each. Womack said to purchase the cars new, without the additional equipment, would be between $23,000 and $24,000 each.
Cochrell reminded council that when the police department budget was submitted last year for approval they had requested $64,000 for cruiser replacement. So, he said, with this plan the department would actually be saving the city about $26,000 and $27,000 once all is said and done. The city manager also said that that he had previous experience dealing with the Missouri Highway Patrol and that he felt confident moving forward with Womack’s request.
Womack said that if council approved the request he would travel to Missouri and personally select the two vehicles that would come to Atlanta. “I spoke with them (Missouri Highway Patrol) and they said if I would pick them out they would set them aside for us.”
Councilman Chris Collins Sr. made the motion to purchase the vehicles, which Councilman Dean McDuff seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Earlier in the meeting, council welcomed a new member.
Chad Clements was sworn in as the new at-large council member.
He takes the seat vacated by Robert Steger, who chose not to seek reelection. City attorney James Verschoyle administered the respective oaths of office to Clements, Collins, Wommack and Mayor Keith Crow. Collins and Crow were reelected without opposition.
Council also discussed proposed changed to their Zoning Ordinance. “What this really is, to make a long story short,” Cockrell said, “Is cleanup. We have too many districts for a city this size.
There are districts that the city does not have and will never have.”
He noted there was also redundant language in the ordinance would could be eliminated. “You don’t need to duplicate this language,” he added.