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City adds vehicles to fleet

By Michael Butler.

Tallassee mayor Johnny Hammock recently addressed the city's purchase of new cars after some "stink" on social media. Three Dodge Durangos have been bought for city business.

"When you drive your own vehicle, you get paid 54 cents a mile," Hammock said. "I average about 400 miles a week. My departments are spread around all over the city. That averages about $216 a week. The vehicles are on a lease purchase plan are $820 a month for 36 months. There's the payment. $216 times four is $864, so the city is saving money. And, it's not just my vehicle. It stays at City Hall.

"Andy Coker got one. Have you seen what he was driving? It didn't have heat. It didn't have air. The windows didn't roll down and it had about 300,000 miles. Andy Gantt got one, the cemetery director. He was driving an old Impala that we got in a drug seizure, had no heat, no air and electrical problems. It stunk, couldn't get the smell out of it."

Three additional vehicles were purchased for the Tallassee Police Department as well.

"We got two more patrol cars and another unmarked car," Hammock added. "Back in 2011, the city bought all new patrol cars. Well you know what happens when you do that? They all start tearing up at the same time. We're having to implement two or three cars a year. I think I've gotten two on grants."

The city also got the vehicles under government contract to reduce the price.

"The vehicle is $7,000 cheaper than what you would've bought one for personal use. We didn't buy this with bond money. At the end of 36 months, you pay a dollar and their yours. We didn't increase the budget for these cars. We cut from other line items to pay for these.

"Unless I'm gone out of town on city business, (the car) is going to be (at City Hall) every night. We don't take these vehicles home.

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