Sheriff's office, health department eye vehicles

Facing a tight vehicle market, commissioners green-lit the purchase of two vans last week using federal coronavirus relief funds.

Officials with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and county health department met with commissioners on Oct. 27, each asking for approval to buy vans using dollars the county received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Both Kathi Hooper, health department director, and Sheriff Darren Short stressed the need to act quickly given that Ford was closing orders for 2022 transit vans by the end of the week.

“The 29th is the last day we can order,” said Short.

Commissioners allowed Short to lock in the order on the condition that officials with the sheriff's office explain in writing how purchasing the van would meet ARPA spending requirements. During the meeting, Short said the spacious vehicle would keep detention center staff separated from inmates, which could reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading during prisoner transports.

Hooper received approval for the purchase of a van for vaccine outreach contingent on the health department securing an additional quote for the vehicle.

Short expected to spend $54,136 for the transit van based on a quote he received from Kalispell Ford. Along with spacing out occupants, the van would allow the sheriff’s office to assist neighboring counties with transporting inmates, according to Short.

“We’re the farthest northwest detention center in the state,” he said. “We can pick up from Sanders County, Lake County, Flathead County, Missoula County.”

Expanding Lincoln County’s transport capabilities has been a long-time goal for the office, according to Undersheriff Brent Faulkner.

“I remember this idea being proposed and trying to set aside money clear back to 2010,” he said. “Just never been able to pull it off.”

Public health officials expect to spend in the neighborhood of $90,000 for their van, according to a preliminary breakdown of ARPA funding. Hooper said the department was looking for a much larger model than the one the sheriff’s office was eying.

“Ours has a high roof,” she said. “We were looking for something we could stand up in.”

Along with the vans, commissioners approved spending $5,000 on an interagency resource guide and $3,000 for a performance management system for the health department.

While commissioners are considering other department requests for ARPA funds, county leadership may set aside some of the dollars for next year’s budget. A recent change in how local officials could spend the federal money seemed to indicate this course might be open to the county, according to Jerry Bennett (D-2).

“If that’s the case we may not want to spend all that money right up front,” he said. “We look at where we finished with the budget this year, we might want to save $500,000 or something for next year.”

During this year’s budgeting season in August and September, commissioners raised concerns that a combination of increasing expenses and waning coronavirus relief funds could strain county coffers in years to come.

The county expects to receive a total of $3.88 million in ARPA funds. Officials have until the end of 2024 to allocate the dollars. The money must be spent by the end of 2026.

Among the largest requests commissioners are considering is a $900,000 allocation for a landfill expansion, $600,000 for the county fairgrounds in Eureka and $400,000 for infrastructure work at Libby Creek Community.