Jeannette Police will be getting a new vehicle for their fleet.
City council last week authorized spending about $48,000 for a 2021 Dodge Durango and necessary equipment to outfit the SUV for police use. Police Chief Donald Johnston Jr. said the move is much needed because of increasing mileage on two existing vehicles and costly repairs on at least one other.
“Half our police fleet is accumulating miles over 100,000 miles for the car,” he said.
Officials expect the new SUV will be on the streets around the beginning of 2022.
Chief Fiscal Officer Ethan Keedy said the cost will be paid out of the city’s reserve account. The cost will be reimbursed through payments back into the account.
The city has six police vehicles. Johnston said a couple of the cars are having repeated issues that are “going to end up nickel and diming” the city.
“We have to have them 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.
Johnston was sworn in as police chief in August after the retirement of Shannon Binda earlier this year.
The city is complying with a new state law that requires meeting agendas be made publicly available at least 24 hours in advance of a meeting, both in print and in digital form, if the group that is meeting has a website. Agendas are being posted in advance at cityofjeannette.com/meeting-agendas.html.
The bill does make exceptions for agenda amendments and emergency business that may come before a government body, which was the case with the police vehicle purchase. Mayor Curtis Antoniak said it was an urgent matter that had to be added to the agenda after the start of last week’s council meeting.
“While it’s legal to do it, it’s not a habit we want to get into,” said city Clerk Nathan Bish.