JOHNSTOWN - The Fulton County Sheriff's Department is requesting county taxpayers fund nine full-size patrol vehicles costing over $302,000 for the department from 2013 to 2015.
Sheriff Thomas Lorey submitted those future capital projects requests to the Board of Supervisors' Public Safety Committee last week at the County Office Building.
County departments are asked annually to make three years of capital requests, although approvals at the end of the budget year are usually only for the next calendar year. In his request, Lorey asked for three full-size patrol vehicles for each year of his proposed 2013-2015 capital plan.
The vehicles include full police packages for radio equipment. The sheriff said the vehicles are "needed to maintain operations."
County taxpayers would fund the entire bill for the vehicles, which for 2013 was put at $96,000. The proposed cost of three more vehicles in 2014 would rise to $100,950, and it would rise to $105,950 for three more vehicles in 2015.
"This is the start of your new budget season," County Administrative Officer Jon Stead told the committee.
Stead, also the county's purchasing agent, said the request by Lorey for three new vehicles each capital projects year is "reasonable" considering how much mileage deputies put on the patrol fleet.
The committee noted the Fulton County Sheriff's Department used to use Ford Crown Victoria sedans as patrol vehicles, but it is getting away from them in favor of Dodge Chargers.
The committee approved Lorey's proposed projects, which will go before the board's Capital Projects Committee when it meets Thursday at the County Office Building.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.