Committee approves placing $645,000 police vehicle transfer on council agenda

The Bethlehem Finance Committee voted to place legislation on the full council agenda that would transfer $645,000 to the police vehicle account for fleet replacements and upgrades.

Deputy Chief Mike Soll told the committee the department is requesting a $645,000 transfer from available salary savings to the vehicle account to replace and upgrade vehicles across the roughly 90-vehicle fleet. Soll said the patrol fleet (about 24 vehicles) had averaged 84,000 miles per vehicle in 2022 but is now averaging about 39,000 miles per patrol vehicle; the department still has more than 30 vehicles with over 100,000 miles on them.

Committee members asked practical questions about how many vehicles the transfer would purchase and what remains in the staffing fund after the transfer. Soll said the number of vehicles depends on the types purchased and estimated a fully outfitted patrol vehicle can cost about $62,000. Committee members pressed on remaining staffing funds; administration said roughly $20,000 would remain in the staffing fund after the transfer, and acknowledged there are still upcoming payroll obligations.

The committee moved and seconded a recommendation to place the appropriate legislation on the council agenda. Roll-call votes were recorded as: Miss Kwiatak — Aye; Miss Leone — Aye; Miss Gramsley Smith — Aye. The clerk announced the legislation would be placed on tonight—s council agenda and the meeting was adjourned.

The transfer decision at the council level will determine whether the funds are formally appropriated; the committee—s action was a recommendation to forward the legislation for a council vote.