Council Approves Purchase of 5 Police Vehicles

The Common Council voted 4-3 to authorize the purchase of five police vehicles, four patrol cars and one administrative car, for the Summit Police Department Tuesday night, but only after a heated discussion about the necessity and prudence of this expenditure.

The approximately $142,312.28 for these replacement vehicles had been previously approved by council with the rest of the 2009 budget earlier this year.

"This is not the time to second guess what we've already approved," said Councilman Diane Klaif, the council's lead representative on the safety committee.

However second guess is just what three councilmembers did Tuesday night.

"I do feel hesitant about this," said Councilman Tom Getzendanner.

And Council President Elen Dickson said she couldn't support this motion either.

"I can honestly say that when I voted for this the last time I did not see the yawning budget hole that I see right now and I think if we are in the position of having to do layoffs wouldn't we rather keep a policeman rather than buy five new police cars?" she asked. "These are the kinds of decisions we're going to have to make."

Councilman Dave Bomgaars also voted against this resolution after suggesting the motion be delayed until the beginning of 2010. Chief Robert Lucid explained that the cars being purchased now wouldn't even be delivered until may or June of next year and delaying the purchase of replacement vehicles now would put the department behind a year in it's replacement cycle.

"The cars that we are purchasing represent 20 percent of the fleet," Lucid said, explaining that there are eight cars in the frontline police force that are used pretty constantly and each year the four oldest are replaced as well as one administrative car, such as for parking services or the juvenile bureau, based on age and wear and tear. 

"It's not that police are sacred; it's closer to the core (of what city government does)," Mayor Jordan Glatt said, "and it should be at the bottom of where we're starting (to make budget cuts.)"

Dickson said that holding back on these purchases now might eliminate the need to even consider layoffs and that other departments in the city such as the Department of Community Programs pay for themselves.

"I just don't think it's responsible to go around threatening to lay off police and firemen as a wedge to not support an issue," Councilman Michael Vernontico said, adding that too many governing bodies make the mistake of deferring costs.

"And to put it real bluntly that comes back to bite you in the ass," he said.

But Dickson said she sits on the finance committee and things are more serious than other councilmembers realize.

"I have to tell you looking at next year's budget we're already doing things I never thought we'd have to do and we're still looking at very high tax increases," Dickson said. "So we have to do something pretty dramatic and this is just the beginning."

"I don't think jeopardizing the safety of the community is the place where we start the budget process," Vernotico said.