COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVED PURCHASE OF FIVE COUNTY VEHICLES
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department will be getting five new vehicles after the first of the year.
Washington County Commissioners approved the purchase of four new Chevy Tahoes and one new Ford Expedition during their regular meeting this (Tuesday) morning. Total cost of the vehicles is just over $151,000, and was included in the Sheriff’s Department budget for the coming year. Chief Deputy Jay Petrash told the commissioners that the order through Caldwell Country Chevrolet, a state contractor, had to be placed now in order for delivery and payment to take place in January.
Petrash explained that the four Tahoes would be basic patrol vehicles, while the Expedition was a supervisor’s vehicle for Sheriff Otto Hanak. The Sheriff’s current vehicle, a base Tahoe, will be given to the new patrol lieutenant. The County is paying $29,335 each for the four Tahoes, and $33,880 for the Expedition.
The commissioners canvassed the results from the November 4th general election for state and county officers and the state constitutional amendment. According to County Clerk Beth Rothermel, there were only eight provisional ballots and five military ballots cast.
In his report to the commissioners, Sheriff Hanak noted that the monthly average number of inmates in the Washington County jail has risen to 100, which is up from previous months. There are now 10 TDC inmates being held at the Washington County Jail, and Hanak said he is trying to get them transferred out as soon as possible. Two other inmates have been there between one and two years waiting for trial, due to an overload in the court system.