Ozark council holds off police truck bid, approves Flowers renovations

OZARK — Confiscated drug money has been filtering out of an illegal economy and into police vehicles that help keep more drug dealers off the street, according to authorities.

But a 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe purchase with drug money for the Wiregrass Violent Crimes Drug Task Force was put on hold as Ozark city council members discussed the thoroughness of bid requests and the preference for local bidders.

Council members voted to table the purchase until the specifications were revisited.

Only two bids for the vehicle — a $33,180 bid from Gilland Chevrolet GMC and a $33,830 bid from the state — were submitted. Ozark Police Chief Tony Spivey said the vehicle was already equipped with the wiring, suspension system and special service features necessary for the task force’s investigations, but that the special service was not specifically listed in the bid request.

Councilman Stanley Emfinger said it was not fair for one agency to bid on vehicle specifications that another company was not asked to furnish.

Councilman Joe Outlaw said he agreed, which was why he initially requested tabling the HVAC system at Flowers until a special meeting later this week, when all bidders could declare which warranty they could offer.

City Councilman Mark Blankenship said after verification that the bid did ask for an extended warranty, so the council unanimously approved awarding the bit to Carroll’s Heating and Air Conditioning in Ozark at $58,700 and a five-year warranty.

Other bids only had a one-year extension. The council also unanimously approved awarding a $77,024 bid to Marty Robbins Roofing in Dothan for roofing at the Flowers Center, which is expected to reopen Dec. 12.

Council President Mike Barefield said bids in the future should be as specific as possible and prepared for a vote by the time they reach the council.

Bids are currently prepared with specifications from the department’s head.

“When people bid something in the city of Ozark, I just want to know the bids are equal. We want to give the bid to Ozark – that’s why we’re looking at the car bid — but we’ve got people from Dothan bidding. We need to know we are getting what we ask for,” Barefield said.

According to Spivey, about seven police vehicles have been purchased locally in the last two years.

A total of $253,020 in drug money was seized in a total of 719 drug investigations in 2008.

As of June, Spivey said $543,765 in drug money was seized and 474 drug investigations were initiated.