FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office will get four new cruisers this year.

County Commissioners voted Tuesday to accept the low bid from Quirk Auto Group in Augusta for four 2017 Ford Explorer Interceptors.

The cost was $28,692 per vehicle before trade-ins, and a total of $96,268 after trade-ins, Chief Deputy Steven Lowell said.

The budget includes $90,000 for cruisers. The remaining $6,268 will come from reimbursement for mileage from the federal Homeland Security Operation Stonegarden grant used to enhance the security of U.S. borders and territories. The Sheriff’s Office participates in the program.

Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. asked for four cruisers in the 2017-18 budget, but it was reduced to $90,000 for three cruisers, Commissioner Charles Webster of Farmington said.

He said commissioners and the Budget Advisory Committee agreed that if there were enough savings in the budget from 2016-17, the sheriff might be able to get four cruisers.

There were savings in the budget, but auditor Ron Smith told commissioners he was not sure the leftover money was the best option to buy a fourth cruiser. Other options included contingency funds, he said.

The other bidder for four cruisers was Farmington Ford. The 2018 Ford Explorer Interceptor cruisers were $31,066 per vehicle, not including trade-in. The cost for four came to $106,966, factoring in trade-in, Lowell said.

The dealership did not submit a bid for 2017 cruisers.

Quirk’s price for four 2018 cruisers was $30,244 for each vehicle. The total cost with trade-in was $104,726, according to Lowell’s figures.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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