The Soldotna City Council enacted an ordinance that would increase estimated revenues and appropriations by $128,000 in the equipment replacement fund for the purchase of two replacement police patrol vehicles. The Biennial Operating Budget for Fiscal Years FY22 and FY23 included a replacement patrol vehicle for the Police Department in FY23, as part of routine fleet replacement.
City Manager Stephanie Queen:
“We’re requesting this appropriation which would allow us to really get our name on and secure two vehicles that are in the cue to be outfitted in the way that they would serve us as new patrol vehicles. One of the vehicles is one that we had already identified for replacement and actually the council had approved it in the FY23 equipment replacement funds. The year starting July 1, the council had already appropriated and identified $63,000 for that replacement vehicle. The other vehicle is due to an accident at no fault of our own, officers, but the vehicle was totaled. This was a new need as a result of that accident. What we’re requesting is that the funding to secure both of them now and we would, with the intent that would come back in the mid-Biennium budget process and essentially undo that $63,000 that had already been identified next year.”
Queen commended Lt. Kant for reaching out to the State of Alaska to see if they had used vehicles that the city might be able to purchase:
“He had started making phone calls and through one of his phone calls to a representative at the state, they had already, months ago, put in an order for two vehicles that they were willing to release to us if we had the need and had the ability to put our name on those. That’s partially the request to move forward with both at this time is to be able to secure those existing vehicles that are the ones we need, the right kind and already essentially in the order.”
In addition to purchasing the new vehicle, the city must outfit it with lighting, cage, prisoner seats, etc. As a result, the city amended the insurance proceeds and appropriation of fund balance to reflect the updated amount while not changing the overall amount of $128,000.