If you think you had a hard time buying a new car this year because of supply chain issues, the semiconductor shortage and the periodic shutdown of dealerships, just imagine how much worse it would be if you’d had to buy a lot of highly specialized vehicles while having to follow all sorts of state-mandated legal constraints on exactly how those purchases can be handled.

Pandemic or not, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department still needs some new fast cars so that, among other things, they’ll be able to chase you down when you make a run for it.  

This week, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is holding a special meeting to discuss how many Sheriff’s Department cars are needed and how to get them.  It’s highly unusual for the board to hold a special meeting just to discuss issues related to the Sherriff’s Department’s allotment of cars and the best way to buy them. In fact, it’s not been done in this century and probably never before. But these are unusual times and it’s a lot harder to provide the department with cars than it usually is.

The Sheriff’s Department puts heavy use on their vehicles and likes to keep the fleet relatively fresh.  The commissioners also appreciate that need, but they’re the ones who control the purse strings and ultimately say how the cars are acquired.

The Board of Commissioners has scheduled the virtual work session for Thursday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. using Zoom. The official stated purpose of the work session is “to consider authorization to purchase Fiscal Year 21/22 Law Enforcement replacement vehicles.”

The commissioners have started letting some audience members into their regular meetings with the pandemic subsiding, but they’re still not allowing the public into most work sessions, which are held in much smaller meeting rooms than the commissioners large meeting room on the second floor of the Old Guilford County Court House. 

Also, some meetings – like this one to discuss the Sheriff’s Department – are meetings where almost all of the commissioners are attending virtually just like the viewers.

 The December 9 work session will be open for citizen participation through Zoom only.

Anyone who wants to watch can watch and listen to the meeting by joining via computer, tablet or smartphone by visiting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T-GaBqm3TBSqlMrI8HsHmg

(If required, enter meeting ID 836 4994 3299 at the prompt.)

The meeting will also be livestreamed on Guilford County’s Facebook page.

Anyone will be able to view the work session agenda prior to the start of the meeting start athttps://guilford.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Please contact Clerk to the Board Robin Keller at rkeller@guilfordcountync.gov with any questions.

 

 

About