HIGHFILL -- The city council on Nov. 10 authorized the sale of surplus police department vehicles and received proposed annexation ordinances for review.
By resolution, the council approved a request from Highfill police chief Blake Webb to surplus and sell two police department vehicles and transfer one to the fire department.
According to Webb's request, the fire department has agreed to purchase the department's white Dodge Durango and will return the police department's black Durango. The police department will then seek to sell by sealed bid the black Durango and a 2007 Crown Victoria.
Webb said that money from the sale of the three vehicles would help out his department with expenses. Fire Chief Gene Holland said the fire department would use fire equipment funds to pay for the Durango.
The council unanimously approved the request.
Webb also asked the council to approve allowing his department to apply for a state traffic safety mini step grant and participate in a state program of traffic safety enforcement. According to Webb, the city would be eligible to receive traffic safety enforcement equipment such as radar units and officers would be paid for overtime hours to participate in the state's enforcement activities.
Webb said the only cost to the city would be the temporary payment of overtime to officers until the money is reimbursed by the state -- within 30 days, Webb said. He said the program would be helpful to the department and to the officers since it would provide equipment to the department and allow the officers to receive some overtime pay.
Jay Williams, city attorney for Highfill, said the city may need to amend its handbook since it currently does not allow overtime but uses comp time instead.
The council gave Webb permission to apply for the grant but asked him to hold off on allowing his officers to work overtime until the issue of overtime could be addressed by the council.
Michelle Rieff, mayor of Highfill, presented to the council for review two proposed ordinances that would annex into the city property belonging to Malone/Patena and property belonging to Abbott. The proposed ordinances will be brought back to the council for action at a future meeting.
In the open hearing portion of the meeting, a resident asked the council regarding the actual legal width of Linwood Street. Williams said he would research the question so the city could provide an answer.