The county is expected to finalize the purchase of six new sheriff’s office cars on Monday.
Until then, the Ford Police Interceptors mistakenly ordered by a law enforcement official last year will sit in the parking lot of the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office — where they have idled since arriving from Georgia in early January.
“I’m sure they’re ready to get into them,” said County Manager Kevin Patterson.
The county commissioners could have finalized the purchase of the six cars at their reconvened workshop meeting on Thursday, but chose to wait until the regular meeting on Monday instead.
“Since this has been such a public issue, we wanted to treat the final step with transparency,” Patterson said of the board’s decision to finish the process at a meeting where more of the public are expected.
Board Chairman Guy McCook said that county staff will have the entire contract and financing arrangement ready to be finalized after a vote by the board on Monday.
“That way everything will be ready to go on Tuesday morning,” McCook said.
In order to purchase the six vehicles the county will be financing $223,805.08 at an interest rate of 1.445 percent.
The county will make its first payment on June 1 of this year. That payment will total $89,000 and will keep the county from exceeding the sheriff’s office budget for vehicle purchases for the 2012-13 fiscal year.
On June 1, 2014 the balance of what is owed — $137,445.61 — will be paid.
Eight cars were originally shipped after a sheriff’s office official ordered them without proper authority in September of 2012.
Sheriff Shep Jones reported the mistake to the commissioners last month.
At that same February 5 meeting the commissioners agreed to purchase six of the eight vehicles.
Representatives of Bobby Jones Ford retrieved the two vehicles that are not being purchased over the past week.
Also during Monday’s meeting, the commissioners are expected to approve a bid for the job of replacing the roof of the 507 West Covington Street administrative building.
The roof has been leaking and causing ceiling damage and mildew for several years, say workers there.
The county’s main administrative staff is housed in the building, including the county manager’s staff, the county clerk, the county finance officer, the economic development office, county payroll, soil and water conservation, inspections and engineering and others.
The Scotland County Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. at the AB Gibson Education Center on 322 South Main Street in Laurinburg.
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