Police getting cruisers at low cost

COLDWATER - Coldwater Police Department will receive two 2006 Chevy Impala vehicles at no cost other than having to pay for delivery from Texas.

"We joined the Ohio Law Enforcement Support Office program that allows us to get used military property for law enforcement use. These vehicles (Chevy Impalas) are the police package cars from the military police," police chief Randy Waltmire told village council members during a meeting Monday. "I don't know too much about them, other than all we have to pay for is to have them delivered."

Waltmire said he has attempted several times in the past to get items through the Law Enforcement Support Office but had not been successful until now.

"There are law enforcement agencies from all over the United States trying to get these items," he said. "You have to show justification for it, and then, you have to be lucky enough to get it."

Waltmire expects the vehicles to arrive Saturday.

"Our 2007 vehicle has 118,000 miles on it, and it's not supposed to be replaced until 2013. It's not going to make it," he said. "We need extra vehicles, and Eric Thomas (village manager-engineer) could use one of them also."  

The village has three patrol cars on a six-year cycle replacement program. One of the vehicles is replaced every two years.

Council members took another step toward changing the village's manual water meters to automatic systems by agreeing to advertise for bids.

Improving the 1,800 meters in the village will cost an estimated $550,000 and take take approximately three to fours years, Thomas said. After the bid is accepted, it will be nearly six months before installation begins.

"We did our research and looked at several meter systems before deciding to go with the AMR (automatic meter reading). They will be lead free and first class," Thomas said.

Safety committee chairman Don Ahrens said the committee heard a proposal from Damien Donovan of McAfee's Communications about bringing the village's radio system into compliance with the new frequency regulations passed by the FCC. The village must be narrowband compliant by Jan. 1, 2013.

The measure is expected to cost the village $7,500. A portion of the expense includes application for a new FCC narrowband license, Ahrens said.  

Councilman Rob Fisher noted that the Coldwater-Celina bicycle path needs some repair work.

"It's such a nice path and is used a lot. We need to take care of it," Fisher said.

The bike path is the property of the Mercer County Commissioners, with Coldwater and Celina taking care of the entrances to the path in their respective community.

In other action, council members:

• Learned three ash trees in the village have been taken down because of the emerald ash borer.

• Adopted the utility rate ordinance that increases water rates from 0.945 cent to 1 cent per gallon.

• Approved the sale of 1.96 acres of village property to Kevin Schwieterman of KSI for $18,772.

• Slated an environmental committee meeting for 5 p.m. July 25 at the village municipal center.