County: Buy Local, Within Reason

At Thursday’s meeting, the Fayette County Commissioners Court approved a few vehicle purchases. They authorized Pct. 1 Commissioners Jason McBroom to purchase a new Chevy one-ton pickup from Oviedo Auto Group in La Grange for $57,884. The funds were available in the Pct. 1 Road and Bridge budget. McBroom said the pickup will replace an older truck “that has very little power when we pull a trailer.” McBroom said the new truck will be used to haul a backhoe and other heavy road-building equipment.

The Court also authorized the Sheriff’s Office to purchase a new Ford F-150 from Sames Ford dealership in Bastrop for $49,910.68. The purchase will utilize grant funds the Sheriff’s Office received through the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program.

A citizen in the audience, Roland Zoch, asked why the pickup was being purchased out of the county and not from one of the vehicle dealerships in Fayette County.

Lt. David Beyer of the Sheriff’s Office described the pickup as a “lower grade unit” that will be used by the Jail Administrator, and he said Sames Ford in Bastrop had a government fleet pickup available on the lot.

“It was cheaper than I think could be found here in Fayette County, so that’s why it was decided to buy that vehicle,” Beyer said.

In addition, McBroom said this vehicle was available through a government purchasing cooperative that allows the county to bypass the formal bidding process and advertising requirements.

“We try to buy local,” Beyer said. “We believe in that 100 percent. But on this particular vehicle, it was savings to the County.”