By Tony Wittkowski | Business Reporter | The Herald-Palladium
BENTON TOWNSHIP — Trustees have agreed to update the vehicle fleet for the Benton Township Police Department.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, trustees voted to buy two new 2017 Ford Explorers. Each vehicle will cost $29,510, with an additional $345 for one of the vehicles to include a bumper hitch for pulling a trailer.
Both are 2017 Ford Police Intercepter Utility vehicles with all-wheel drive.
Controller Kellie Nelson told trustees the money is available as the township budgeted to replace two police vehicles in 2016.
The vehicles will replace two squad cars – one rendered unserviceable due to severe engine problems and another that will be transferred and used as an ordinance vehicle.
“(Public Works Supervisor) Andy (Jordan) is usually pretty good about getting everything out of the cars that we can use,” Supervisor Kevin White said. “It’s pretty much a shell of a car once Andy is done with it.”
M-139 property update
Trustees were given an update Tuesday on the two lots along M-139 that are in the process of being bought by a Kalamazoo car dealership.
Benton Township trustees in July approved a sales agreement with DeNooyer Automotive Group LLC for property at 2860 S. M-139.
“We have been in touch with DeNooyer and there are just a few more pieces of information they have requested,” Nelson said. “We anticipate the sale will close this year as everything is progressing very nicely. We’re working on finalizing their requests and are working on a closing date.”
Nelson said the property’s buyer is working on the title. The agreed upon price is $390,000.
The township bought the nearly 10 acres in 2013 and eventually demolished the former Holiday Inn that was on the property in 2014.
Todd DeNooyer, general manager of DeNooyer Chevrolet in Kalamazoo, has said there are no immediate plans for the two parcels.
Contact Tony Wittkowski at twittkowski@TheHP.com or (269) 932-0358. Follow him on Twitter: @tonywittkowski.
Tony Wittkowski 