Fremont Town Board approves cruisers
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on April 21, 2013 1:50 AM
The Fremont Board of Aldermen approved the acceptance of a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant and loan for the purchase of two new police cars for the town's police department at their April 16 meeting.
The grant awarded to the town is in the amount of $20,200. The rest of the funds will be provided through a $35,900 loan.
That money -- $56,100 -- will cover the purchase of the vehicles as well as everything needed to set up the cars for road use such as lights, sirens and radios, said Kerry McDuffie, Fremont Town Administrator.
The police department sold a 2004 Chevrolet Impala in October 2012 and will be cycling a 2004 Crown Victoria out of the fleet to make room for the new cruisers, McDuffie said.
The police department will purchase two Dodge Chargers with the funds, which will be paid back in installments of $7,952 a year over 5 years at an interest rate of 3.5 percent.
The new cruisers will use four of the engine's eight cylinders for normal driving while on patrol but have the capability to utilize all eight cylinders when giving chase.
"They'll actually be better for us on gas for what we mostly do, but the power is there when you need it," Police Chief Paul Moats Jr. said.
The board also approved an amendment to the 2012-2013 town budget, which takes into account extra money the fire department used above its budget. The expenditures were covered by available funds in the fire department's fund balance.
The town also amended the budget to reflect a higher charge for sewer processing than anticipated for sewer refuse sent to Goldsboro.
The budget was also amended to reflect three grants received by the police department that were not originally expected.
The board will familiarize itself with the budget and have an advertised budget available by June 1.
The board discussed the proposed 2013-14 spending plan, which calls for a 1.7 percent cost of living increase for full-time employees, who requested that the town use part of the money to provide additional life insurance. The cost to do that would be $6,787.20 for all employees, leaving $5,150.89 to go toward a raise of 0.75 percent.
Full-time police department officers unanimously voted to forgo a pay increase in favor of the town providing the officers membership to the YMCA.
A request was made by Tyron Corbett, who was not present at the meeting, to allow for the installation of a 1991 mobile home on a lot zoned as R6 which only allows for mobile homes up to eight years old.
The board remanded the decision of whether to modify zoning law to allow Corbett to place the mobile home on the lot to the planning committee for its opinion on the best course of action.
A public hearing will be advertised to discuss the possibility in the next few weeks.
The board set up a two-hour ethics training class in accordance with state law, which states elected officials must take an ethics class within one year of election or re-election.