San Joaquin County supervisors approve two different plans to repair overweight sheriff command vehicle

The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department command vehicle, seen here, is overweight, requiring the installation of a second rear axle to bring it up to state code. On Tuesday, county supervisors approved two possible options to repair the vehicle. (News-Sentinel file photo)

San Joaquin County supervisors approve two different plans to repair overweight sheriff command vehicle

By Maggie Creamer
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 6:08 AM PDT

Comments (4 comment(s))

After going back to the drawing board, San Joaquin County has found a less expensive way to send an overweight sheriff command vehicle to be fixed in Ohio so it can be driven on California's roads.

The county Sheriff's Office originally recommended three of its personnel — one lieutenant, one sergeant and one deputy — go on a 10-day road trip to Ohio. The trip would have cost a total of $18,962, including $11,000 in salaries.

At last week's county Board of Supervisors meeting, they required the department to look at cheaper alternatives.

On Tuesday, the board gave the goahead for the county to pursue two less expensive options. Regardless of which one the department chooses, the board approved paying for Lt. John Williams to fly to Ohio to inspect the repairs. His travel will cost a total of $1,049 for his flight, one night in a hotel, two days of airport parking, a rental car and five meals, plus $869 in salary.

The main difference in both options is that the county will have only one deputy gone two days, instead of three employees gone for 10 days.

The county received the mobile command center, valued at the $1 million after equipment was added, in June 2008 through a Homeland Security grant.

The vehicle's rear axle carries 2,000 pounds more than the California Highway Patrol will allow on the state's roads. So the vehicle needs another axle to redistribute the load in order to avoid damaging roads.

The manufacturer, Gerling and Associates, has agreed to fix the vehicle for free at its Ohio location.

"We want to get it done and have it readily available," Sheriff Steve Moore said Tuesday.

The first option to get the vehicle to Ohio is to pay Gerling $6,419 to have one of its employees fly to California, drive the vehicle to Ohio and then return to French Camp once it is repaired. Moore said this option was not originally presented because the company had not offered to send an employee.

One of the main advantages with this option is the manufacturer will provide insurance while driving the vehicle and obtain any city, county or statewide permits required to drive the vehicle across the country.

For an even cheaper solution, the county is working with the Air Force to see if it would be possible to fly the county vehicle for free or a low cost if it is piggybacked on one of the military's planned flights to Ohio.

The Sheriff's Office plans to get the vehicle fixed as soon as possible, Moore said, but he asked the supervisors to approve the lieutenant's travel for up to six months. He said the department wanted to leave a long enough window so it would not have to come back and get reapproval.

Moore said it is hard to say if the first proposal would have been approved if it was not as tight of a budget year.

"You'll find we are very cognizant of managing the budget. ... I don't mind the scrutiny; it keeps the government on its toes and helps our staff think outside the box," Moore said.

Both Moore and Board Chairman Leroy Ornellas thanked the public for calling them with creative suggestions and offers on how to transport the vehicle.

Supervisor Steve Bestolarides, who was critical of the original plan, said both of the new plans represent big savings in keeping deputies on the street.

"It's important we exhaust every option that we can to make sure we are delivering the public's dollars to the best use," Bestolarides said.

Contact reporter Maggie Creamer at maggiec@lodinews.com or read her blog at www.lodinews.com/blogs/citybuzz.

New command unit repair proposal costs

$6,419: Gerling & Associates flies to California, picks up command unit, drives it to Ohio, adds the extra axle and drives it back to the sheriff's French Camp headquarters.

$1,049.12: Lt. John Williams flies to Ohio, inspects the repairs, which includes reconfiguring the bus' electrical system, according to Supervisor Steve Bestolarides. Cost includes flight, one night hotel, airport parking for two days, rental car and five meals.

Salary: $869.

Total cost: $8,337.

Alternate proposal

No cost estimate: Air Force or Air National Guard fly the mobile command unit to Ohio.

$1,049.12: Williams' two-day trip to Ohio to inspect the repairs once they are completed.

Salary: $869.

Total cost: $1,918.12, not including the cost to fly the command unit to Ohio.

Proposal rejected by supervisors

$2,893.29: Driving mobile command unit to Ohio and back. Cost includes two deputies in command unit and third deputy in rental car. Cost includes rental car, insurance, fuel for both vehicles.

$1,395: Cost for five breakfasts, 11 lunches and 10 dinners for three deputies.

$3,636.90: Cost for 10 nights in hotels for three deputies, five in Sunbury, Ohio, and five on the road between Ohio and California.

Salaries: $11,037 for a lieutenant, sergeant and deputy for 10 days.

Total cost: $18,962.19, but actual cost could be higher if Gerling took longer than expected to complete the work.

Source: San Joaquin County

Reader Feedback

galtguy wrote on Oct 1, 2009 12:04 AM:

" dogs4you-

It's about liability. Not a permit.

Let's say this monstrousity is being driven code three to a incident and is involved in an accident (which happens all the time). Does the county of SJ want to pay that bill? Because I can assure you it will be a lot more for losing a wrongful death suit than 1M. The liabilty posed by this (In God's voice) COMMAND CENTER is HUGE.

BTW- How is this Lt. John Williams qualified? Was he responsible for specing out this thing in the first place? Does he have any transportation experience? Does he hold a CDL? How many professional miles does he have (safe)?

Seems to me any truck driver could've told you they were under building this thing.

I stand by my earlier prediction. The Manufactuer will fix it out here. You watch. "

Report Abuse

DeputyChief wrote on Sep 30, 2009 4:40 PM:

" Dogs4you, even your K9 figured out a more economical way to save the taxpayer money than Sheriff Moore did. "

Report Abuse

dogs4you wrote on Sep 30, 2009 1:54 PM:

" DeputyChief, you just got demoted to walking a beat. The county received the mobile command center in June 2008 through a Homeland Security grant. The CHP doesn`t issue permits for overloaded vehicles, that is CalTrans` job. For $90.00 a year this vehicle could receive a permit for overloading and operate on the streets and highways of San Joaquin County. I wonder what kind of an accident or crime it will take to get that command vehicle out of the barn and to a crime scene. A fender bender. By the time it got to a bank robbery, the robber would be out of the state. "

Report Abuse

DeputyChief wrote on Sep 30, 2009 1:24 PM:

" Sheriff Moore was irresponsible in making the original request. He failed to look for the most economical way to solve this problem. He obviously feels that overspending taxpayer money is an acceptable way of doing business. Sheriff Moore is incompetent and continues to demonstrate this publicly. " "

Report Abuse

Comments on this story are now closed.

Archives

Story Tools

Indexes