MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council on Tuesday will be asked to approve spending up to $424,444.40 to buy five new new police vehicles.
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on a contract with Jim Shorkey Auto Group in Austintown, Ohio, to buy five Dodge Durangos for the MPD.
Police Chief Jason Bammann said the dealership will have the vehicles in stock in the next few weeks.
In the past, the chief said the wait for Ford-produced law enforcement equivalents was up to two years.
According to the legislation, half the money for the vehicles will come from the city’s portion of the OneOhio Opioid Fund. The other half will come from the safety services fund.
The two pieces of legislation related to the purchase are among just five on an otherwise light agenda for council.
A public hearing on the city’s tax budget is scheduled Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. and a public hearing on a rezoning request is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
Council caucus is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. with the legislative session following immediately thereafter.
Also Tuesday, council is expected to:
— vote on the acceptance of a $19,084 Project Safe Neighborhoods grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to be used to pay police overtime to “reduce violence throughout the city.”
— vote on the adoption of of the 2027 tax budget for the city of Mansfield and Mansfield Township, which must be filed with the Richland County Auditor’s Office.
