March 28, 2024

Council approves new police vehicle

Creston Police Department will purchase a new truck after Creston City Council unanimously approved the purchase during Tuesday’s regular meeting.

Bids were sent in by all three local automotive dealerships. Creston Police Chief Paul Ver Meer recommended the purchase of Creston Automotive’s bid for a 2018 Ford to the council.

“When I bid them out I bid them specific, I want these things on the truck,” Ver Meer said Tuesday evening. “Whatever else Chevy throws in, or Ford, or Dodge, whatever their model comes with, I don’t have much say over that.”

Three bids were sent out and examined before Tuesday’s evening meeting. All three bids were quoted within $1,000 of each other.

“The bids were within $1,000. All of them. So, I just picked the low bid, which happened to be the F-150,” said Ver Meer.

All three bids were for full-sized, four-wheel drive, four-door pickup trucks.

The lowest bid was $15,423 from Creston Automotive for a 2018 Ford. The final price includes the trade-in value on a 2011 Chevrolet pickup truck.

The new truck will be a patrol vehicle. Ver Meer guessed that the vehicle will be available for service at the end of October.

The Creston Police department is still fundraising for the K9 unit.

In other council news:

• Creston City Council voted to pass a resolution to allow a public hearing on Mark Williams’ request to place a water line under a city parking lot located at the intersection of Montgomery and Walnut Streets.

Williams owns a lot and will attempt to open up a business in the alley.

“It’ll be on the east side of the alley, there are about four parking spots there and that’s where he wants to put a little building,” said City Administrator Mike Taylor.

In order to connect this water line, Williams will be forced to go underneath the public parking lot. Any damage caused to the lot during the process will be covered by Williams.

“Placing a small building he owns behind the Union County Abstract building for the purpose of selling food out of it,” said Public Works Director Kevin Kruse.

The lot is west of the city parking lot and north of the Union County Abstract building.

The exact path of the water line is not known yet, but it is expected to run along the north side of the parking lot. The details of the plan will be known by the time of the public hearing.

The hearing is set for Sept. 19.

• Council voted unanimously to remove and dispose of a dangerous building located at 505 W. Howard St.

The vote passed by a 6-0 tally, with Ward 2 Representative Rich Madison not present at Tuesday’s meeting.

• The city also approved the annual street financial report.