By Kaitlin Hoskins, News Editor
The Gadsden Police Department will soon have 15 new Chevrolet Tahoes in its fleet after the Gadsden City Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution at the February 20 council meeting.
“Given the unique issues with logistics and supply chain these days with new vehicles, specifically police vehicles, I’d like to ask to suspend the rules and consider this [resolution] as new business today, so we can get these on the way,” Councilman Jason Wilson said.
The new vehicles, which will cost a total of $740,625, are 2024 models.
“This is 15 brand new vehicles for our police officers,” Wilson said. “This brings the total number of new vehicles that this body has approved to 44, I believe. Forty-four new police vehicles since this body was elected. So, we are certainly putting an emphasis on upgrading our police vehicles in the City of Gadsden.”
According to Wilson, the funds for the purchase came from the city’s undesignated fund.
“Some of you might remember several weeks ago we discussed and debated and took action on a resolution to transfer $2.4 million, or right around that, to cover several different items. This was one of those things included in that. So, this isn’t an additional $740,000. It was included in that $2.4 million.”
The resolution Wilson mentioned moved the funds from the undesignated budget for the city and into several different departments.
Also, during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Gadsden City Council, members unanimously voted to approve an easement to Alabama Power Company for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations at The Venue at Coosa Landing.
In other business, the council:
• Approved Resolution R-91-24 authorizing supplemental payment agreement with ALDOT for a railroad crossing improvement project.
• Approved Resolution R-93-24 authorizing an agreement with Ring Central, Inc. for the city’s telephone service.
• Approved Resolution R-94-24 authorizing agreement with CDG, Inc. for sidewalk improvement project along 6th, 7th, Chestnut and Walnut streets.
• Approved Resolution R-95-24 authorizing agreement with CDG, Inc. for resurfacing and partial realignment of South 11th Street project, which is an amendment to Resolution R-153-22.
• Approved Resolution R-88-24 authorizing agreement with Bass Tactix for the Alabama State Bass Fishing Championship from May 3-4.
• Approved Resolutions R-96-24 and R-97-24 authorizing agreements with Erica Sunshine Lee and Keith Burns for May Bash Party.
• Approved Resolutions R-98-24, R-99-24 and R-100-24 authorizing agreements with Fuego Band, Nash County and Rubik’s Groove for Summer Concert Series.
• Heard from citizen Randy Odam about his concerns about road conditions in District 1 in Gadsden.
• Heard from Mary Blankenship about her concerns about needed improvements in East Gadsden.
The next scheduled meeting of the Gadsden City Council will be Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 11 a.m.