The Snowflake Town Council approved Snowflake-Taylor Police Chief Jerry VanWinkle’s Oct. 14 request to purchase two police vehicles budgeted this year.

VanWinkle reported that he received three bids. Bids for a 2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor with all wheel drive were $27,473.49 from Winslow Ford and $26,596.72 from Show Low Ford. Hatch Motors of Snowflake bid $26,888.31 for a 2015 Dodge Charger with police rear wheel drive.

The two vehicles purchased from last year’s budget were Fords. “We’re very happy with those vehicles,” said the chief. “They are all four-wheel drive and do very well for our department.

“This year we decided we wanted to keep it local, as well. My recommendation is to go with Hatch Motors for the 2015 Dodge Chargers,” he said noting that there was approximately $300 difference between the bids submitted by Hatch Motors and Show Low Ford.

“We’ll make that up for maintenance,” said Councilman Stuart Hensley.

Vice Mayor Jason Whiting asked if the Dodge had all wheel drive and the chief explained that they do, but it would take more than the $60,000 budgeted for the two cars and wouldn’t include the equipment.

The council unanimously approved the purchase of two police vehicles for a cost of $53,776.62 from Hatch Motors in Snowflake. VanWinkle said that the remaining $6,223.38 will be used towards emergency equipment and markings for the vehicles.

In other business, Chief VanWinkle reported that the STPD received a grant award from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for the purchase of a radar speed trailer to assist with the traffic safety program in Snowflake and Taylor. The amount of the grant award for the trailer is $27,525. The trailer that STPD selected to purchase is from RU2 Systems in Mesa, and will cost $26,120.93. VanWinkle said that the remainder of funds will pay for markings for the trailer as well as training for the use of the trailer.

The town council held the first reading of Ordinance 14-07 to rezone two properties owned by Senius Eilertsen and Mark Eilertsen. One parcel would be rezoned from General Commercial to Residential 1 acre, and the other from Residential 2 acre to Residential 1 acre zoning. The properties are located at 1195 S. Main Street and 1265 S. Main Street.

The Snowflake Planning and Zoning Commission heard the rezone requests at a public hearing held Oct. 7, and found them to be appropriate for the area and current property uses, and voted unanimously to recommend to the town council that the rezonings be approved. The second reading and vote will be held at the Tuesday, Oct. 28, council meeting.