HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2008 1105 CC REG ITEM 10H11 1111
MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council`
FROM: Ron Nelson, Captain',
DATE: October 20, 2008 (CC Meeting of 11/5/08)
t:lit
City Council Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider Purchase of Alternative Fuel Vehicle for the Moorpark
Volunteers in Policing Program
SUMMARY
The City of Moorpark's adopted Fiscal Year 2008/09 budget includes $30,000 for the
Police Department to purchase a new patrol vehicle for the Volunteers in Policing (VIP)
Program. The VIP program currently has one patrol vehicle, but is in need of a second
patrol vehicle in order to provide consistent and meaningful services to the residents of
the City of Moorpark (City). If approved, this would add a new Ford Escape Hybrid SUV
using Transportation System Management (TSM) Funds (2001), which were allocated
for this purchase during the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2008/09 budget. It is projected
that over the life of the new vehicle, the City would save substantially, both in terms of
dollars and air quality, when compared with the cost of adding additional patrol deputies
to serve a growing community.
BACKGROUND
The VIP program annually provides thousands of hours of donated time in which VIP
members patrol the City. These VIP members provide basic police support services,
such as report writing, parking enforcement, and traffic control at accident scenes, thus
freeing up sworn officers to handle more specialized law enforcement matters. The VIP
program currently has seventeen volunteers who stagger their hours of service, sharing
one vehicle to patrol the City. During the twelve month period of May 2007 through
April 2008, VIP members provided 2,381 hours of patrol time.
Until May 2008, the City had a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria that was used as the volunteer
patrol vehicle, which saw over 85,000 miles of service. The City obtained the Crown
Victoria in year 2000, as a used loaner vehicle through the Ventura County General
Services Agency, Fleet Services Division (County), with an associated monthly cost
billed to the City. Because the vehicle was considered to be a loaner, there was no up-
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front cost to purchase the vehicle. This was a great initial benefit to the City to get the
volunteer patrol force mobilized, however the down side was that there was no cost
provision for a replacement for the vehicle at the end of its service life. During fiscal
year 2007/08, the City was billed for the vehicle at a rate of $739 per month, plus .24
cents per mile, which covered the cost of fuel and minor maintenance. At this rate, the
cost of maintaining this older vehicle in the fleet amounted to $8,868 annually, plus
mileage. According to Kelley bluebook estimates, this vehicle would be worth
approximately $3,000 if sold at retail prices.
In March 2008, the Volunteers in Policing program obtained a new patrol vehicle
through generous donations from the community, a 2008 Dodge Charger. During the
months of March and April, volunteers were able to patrol the City in both the Crown
Victoria and the Charger, further enhancing their services to the residents of Moorpark.
Because the new Charger was added to the fleet, the loaner vehicle (Crown Victoria)
was eventually returned to the County at the beginning of May.
The Police Department and the residents of Moorpark have come to depend a great
deal on the services provided by the volunteers who patrol and assist the officers with
basic law enforcement functions in the field. As witnessed during the months of March
and April, the addition of one more patrol vehicle would further enhance the program
and the services provided to our residents, at minimal cost.
DISCUSSION
A Ford Escape Hybrid SUV was selected by the Police Department as a useful patrol
vehicle because of its environmentally friendly motor design, and its ability to provide a
covered cargo or seating area that would facilitate the protected delivery of materials
and /or staff. It is intended that the Hybrid vehicle would be used by City Police
volunteers for patrol, and while responding to assist at various police related incidents
such as crime scenes, and natural and man - caused disasters.
Police Department staff solicited bids from five local dealers for a 2009 Ford Escape
Hybrid SUV. Bids for the Ford Escape were returned by Simi Valley Ford, Barber Ford,
and Vista Ford of Oxnard. The bid responses are as follows:
Bidder Dealer Quote
Simi Valley Ford $27,372.35
Barber Ford $30,053.55
Vista Ford of Oxnard $30,566.25
The lowest responsible bidder is Simi Valley Ford.
With the adoption of the FY 2008/09 budget, the Council approved $30,000 out of the
TSM Fund (2001) for the purchase of the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV. Purchase of
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alternate fuel vehicles for the City Fleet was included in the City Council adopted TSM
program and has been used in the past for such purpose. TSM funds are used for the
purpose of addressing air quality in our community, and hybrid vehicles qualify as
alternate fuel vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the
2009 Ford Hybrid Escape SUV, driven 10,000 miles per year, produces approximately
3.6 tons of CO2, compared to the 1996 Ford Crown Victoria, which produces
approximately 10.2 tons of CO2.
FISCAL IMPACT
Throughout the time the Ford Crown Victoria was in use, the monthly cost to rent the
vehicle from the County has continued to rise each year. As an example, in FY
2004/05, the City was billed at a rate of $527.77, plus mileage, each month for use of
the vehicle. With the cost of fuel and labor maintenance costs continuing to increase, it
is safe to assume the cost to maintain this 12- year -old vehicle in the Police Department
fleet would continue to increase. Additionally, a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria averages 15-
18 miles per gallon of gasoline when driven in the city. EPA estimates that the 2009
Ford Hybrid Escape will average 34 miles per gallon of gasoline when driven in the city,
approximately twice that of the Crown Victoria. By purchasing the fuel- efficient Ford
Escape Hybrid, the City would realize a substantial savings in the monthly cost to own
and operate the vehicle over the service life of the vehicle. At the present day price of
$8,868 annually, the amount to maintain the Crown Victoria would pay for a new
Escape Hybrid in about three years, which is approximately 1 /4th of the expected
service life of twelve years.
Because a new Ford Hybrid Escape SUV would be used to patrol the City and respond
to emergency incidents, the vehicle would need to be outfitted with a two -way
communication radio system in order to communicate with other police patrol vehicles,
emergency flashing amber lighting system, and appropriate decals /markings identifying
it as a police volunteer patrol vehicle (emergency equipment). It is estimated that the
labor and materials to add this equipment will cost approximately $4,500. After
purchasing the vehicle at the bid price of $27,372, there will be $2,628 available toward
the purchase and installation of the emergency equipment. For the remainder of the
approximately $1,900 needed for the emergency equipment, the VIP program has
received several donations from private individuals in the community, a private business
foundation, and the Rotary Club of Moorpark, which should cover the cost of the needed
emergency equipment.
Maintenance /service costs for the first year are estimated to be approximately $600,
which includes basic oil changes and scheduled maintenance visits. Any major repairs
would be covered under the initial manufacturer's warranty. Additionally, funds
associated with the maintenance costs were approved for such use when the Fiscal
Year 2008/09 budget was adopted.
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STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1) Award the purchase of the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV to Simi Valley Ford,
the lowest responsible bidder; and
2) Authorize the City Finance Department to process the necessary purchase order
to obtain the vehicle with the allocated funds.
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