JASPER, Tenn. - Since seven new school resource officers will be added to the Marion County Sheriff's Department this fall to cover every public school in the county, those officers will need vehicles, too.
The Marion County Commission approved the additional officers at an estimated cost of $346,808 in March.
At the board's May meeting, County Mayor David Jackson said Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett met with the board's finance committee recently to ask for permission to purchase 10 new patrol cars.
"It will be paid for in next year's budget," he told the board. "[We need to] get those cars here in time because we'll be hiring seven new SROs. We need to get those cars in here, so we can start getting equipment put in."
Officials put the purchase out for bid, but only got one response.
Moss Motor Co. in nearby South Pittsburg, Tennessee, placed the only private bid for $255,220.
Jackson said the state bid price was approximately $1,000 more, but with the installation of some needed spotlights on the cars, Moss Motor's bid was "right at the state bid price, maybe just a hair under."
Burnett said seven of the patrol cars will go to the new SROs in the county's public schools, and the others are needed to replace some existing vehicles.
"This was the best price we could find anywhere," he said.
Commissioner Mack Reeves asked where the money would come, as well as for how much of the price the county would be responsible.
"The sheriff put it in his budget when he presented it to the finance committee," Jackson told Reeves. "It's in that vehicle equipment [line item], and he already put that in there. So, that's in his budget for next year."
Commissioner Donald Blansett asked if the board could legally allow the purchase as long as the money isn't spent until after the next fiscal year's budget is approved.
County Attorney Billy Gouger said the board could do so, and that the only reason the request was being made before that budget is approved is the time constraint on the order.
The board voted unanimously to approve the purchase.
The new patrol cars will be shipped to Knoxville first for the police equipment installation before finally being delivered to Marion County later this summer.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.