Mayor Daniel M. Knapik
WESTFIELD – Mayor Daniel M. Knapik has requested the City Council to authorize an appropriation from free cash which will be used by municipal departments to purchase motor vehicles.
The Council referred the appropriation request, submitted Thursday night, to the Finance Committee for further review and to make a recommendation to the full council. Finance Chairman Richard E. Onofrey Jr., said over the weekend that he will request the administration and city financial officer to submit information on the status of the free cash account being used to fund the $219,202 for the vehicle purchases.
Free cash is money remaining in the previous fiscal year budget, either unspent funds or unanticipated new revenue. The funds are not available to the city until the state Department of Revenue certifies that the money is not encumbered or needed to balance the previous year budget.
The largest single allocation from the free cash, $100,000 will go to the Police Department to replace funding cut from that department’s 2013 fiscal year account.
“The police budget carried $180,000 that I trimmed out last year,” Knapik said Friday. “I promised that department $100,000 when free cash was certified and became available.”
The Police Department replaces cruisers based on mileage of 75,000 miles which was determined on a risk and benefit analysis of the cost of maintaining patrol vehicles with more than 75,000 miles, reliability and resale value.
“I asked the department if it could increase that turn-over mileage this year,” Knapik said.
Knapik said the appropriation also includes funding for the Engineering Department, Department of Public Works, Assessor’s Department, the Building Department and the Health Department. All of the vehicles are being acquired through the state under the Plymouth County Cooperative Procurement contract from a vendor list identified through competitive bids.
“The current vehicles used by these departments are in horrific condition,” Knapik said.
The appropriation also includes $30,630 for the Engineering Department to purchase a 2013 Ford Explorer that will also be used by the Weights & Measures Department to tow a sealed tank used to ascertain correct gallon volume of fuel dispensed at gas stations and by home heating oil trucks. That vehicle has a $26,795 base price, but also includes additional equipment for towing, communication, and security.
Public Works has requested $23,875 to purchase a 2013 Ford F-150 pickup truck with four-wheel drive, all terrain tires and the school-bus yellow paint used by that department for its vehicle fleet.
The Assessor’s Department has requested $16,295 to purchase a 2013 Ford Focus SE, while both the Building Department and Health Department have each requested $24,151 to purchase a 2013 Ford Escape SE all-wheel drive SUVs.
All vehicles are being purchased with the appropriate municipal seals and departmental logos.
