North Adams Council OKs New Police Cruiser
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday authorized the spending of $62,450.85 for a new police cruiser.
But also encouraged the mayor consider asking for a second one.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey said the funds will come out of the parking meter reserve fund which is at $241,000.
"We are in desperate need for a new police cruiser," she said. "As you know our cars run quite a bit. Some have more than 100,000 miles.
"We were fortunate enough to pick up two vehicles used from the town of Williamstown, which used to them is like new to us, but we felt it's very important to add a new car to this fleet."
Police Chief Mark Bailey said the fleet has seven frontline cruisers and nine unmarked vehicles. He's trying to keep the frontline at 100,000 miles, at which time they would rotate as unmarked vehicles.
Right now, five of the frontline have more than 100,000 miles and one retired at 180,000. The oldest vehicles are sometimes passed on to other departments or sold off.
"The reason for doing that, we're basically putting Band-Aids on it, on our frontline fleet, until we can get newer vehicles," the chief said. "But we're putting out about 25,000 miles a year per cruiser."
Councilor Wayne Wilkinson asked if there are plans to regularly replace the fleet. Bailey said he would like one every year but there hasn't been a replacement in two years. However, the school system purchased an unmarked car specifically for the school resource officer so that has helped.
Councilor Peter Breen quizzed the chief on his capital budget and a repair line last year of $78,000 that was $30,000 over budgeted, noting there will be no cars reliable next year if they're putting on 25,000 a year.
He recommended purchasing two cruisers this year instead of one for reasons of safety and for less maintenance and repair costs and to get fleet purchases back on track.
Wilkinson said he was impressed with the numbers Breen had pulled and would also approve a second cruiser if requested.
The chief said he would love a second cruiser.
"I could definitely say that repairs, the price of the parts are pretty much equal to the maintenance as well," said the chief. "The best thing that we could possibly do, which could be a discussion, is to get a city mechanic."
Councilor Lisa Blackmer asked about cruisers idling, the number of cruisers at scenes and other usage. Her line of questioning prompted a point of order from Councilor Peter Oleskiewicz that resulted in a bit of back and forth between them with Blackmer objecting he was talking over her.
Oleskiewicz said she was getting into policy, Blackmer that she was talking about usage and making the cars last longer and that he was always "sucking up to the police."
"I've heard from the public, my constituents, our constituents, that they see every time that there's an accident or something, there's always like, everybody's there," Blackmer said. "And I worry sometimes that then we don't have the services where else we need them. That's all."
Councilor Andrew Fitch later asked everyone to take a deep breath to try to lessen the tension in the room. It did not appear to work.
Councilor Keith Bona again pushed for a mobile app, noting the city isn't charging for Center Street parking lot other than permit parking
"I do believe it would increase the revenue into that parking fund," he said. "There's probably seven years I've been asking for it now, if not longer, and so I'm using the opportunity right now to just remind you."
Macksey said she would take the council's input into consideration.
In other business, the council:
• Confirmed the appointment of Joshua Vallieres to the Youth Commission and Bruce Miller to the Board of Health, both for terms to expire Sept. 24, 2027.
• Called for the general election to be held Nov. 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center and approved additional election workers and for City Clerk Tina Leonesio and Police Chief Mark Bailey to assign officers to the election.
• Approved the application of John Timothy Spencer to drive a taxicab for RJ's Taxi.
• Continued a proposed amendment to the marijuana ordinance until General Government meets on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and the establishment of safety zones to the second meeting in October so more research can be done.
• Reconsidered a final borrowing order for $535,562 for a software purchase because the advertisement did not run the full length it was supposed to before the final vote; city counsel recommended the second vote and the readvertisement.
• Passed to a second reading and publication a fee schedule for public services such as sewer connections to Appendix D. Councilor Keith Bona said these are not new fees but were inadvertently left out when all fees were shifted to Appendix D.
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