LAKEPORT — The Board of Supervisors (BOS) unanimously approved the purchase of 13 vehicles for the Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) Tuesday, with a total cost of more than $300,000.
“Our vehicles unfortunately are used a little bit harder than normal vehicles and we have incurred a lot of maintenance,” LCSO Capt. Chris Macedo told the BOS.
The planned purchases include a 2014 Ford F-250 crew cab and two 2014 Ford F-150 supercab pickups to be used by the Narcotics Task Force, Marine Patrol and enforcement, the proposal stated. The purchase also includes 10 2014 Ford Sedan Police Interceptors — four of which will be unmarked.
“We are still intending on keeping these other vehicles in our fleet to use sparingly and when necessary,” Macedo continued.
The vehicles will be bought from Downtown Ford in Sacramento. Formal bidding was waived on the request.
The BOS also approved a permit application of Mercy Air Services as long as it follows Emergency Medical Services requirements with a vote of 4-1 with Supervisor Denise Rushing dissenting.
The BOS voiced its concerns regarding the outcome of bringing in Mercy Air, which included cost for uninsured people.
“The discussion, I believe, is a policy level discussion,” Rushing said. “Around how citizens are air-vacced out of here and whether or
not they risk their financial future.”
The effect of the service on other county resources was also a concern.
“We don”t want something like this to come in and deplete another resource ? and leave us in a bind,” Supervisor Jeff Smith said. “We”ve seen that in the past and we don”t want that to happen again. I am hoping that, between all of the ambulance services, we can come out whole the whole time.”
J. W. Burch, IV is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636 ext. 14 or at jburch@ record-bee.com.
