Lower, Cape May Look at Fuel Sipping Vehicles

VILLAS — Why buy a 4-wheel drive SUV when a Ford Focus will do just as well?
That’s the question Lower Township Manager Michael Voll and Township Council have been asking.
Voll said he is replacing eight, four-wheel drive vehicles that average 13 miles per gallon with standard, front-wheel drive vehicles. He said there was no need for inspectors in the construction department to use 4-wheel drive vehicles.
“I have on order two, Ford Focuses that get 28-38 miles per gallon,” said Voll. “That’s an efficiency we’re looking at in every department.”
The township is developing a motor pool of vehicles to be used by personnel and assigning fewer vehicles to employees for their exclusive use, he said.
Voll said he investigated buying a Chevrolet Volt, GM’s plug-in hybrid electric car, but the cost exceeds $44,000. In addition, the Volt would require a charging station.
In the future, it may be worthwhile for the township to install a charging station as use of electric cars increase, particularly for visitors, he said.
Earlier this week, Cape May City Council was weighing the purchase of a full size Ford Crown Victoria police car or waiting for a new model of the Ford Taurus with a V-6 engine outfitted for law enforcement use. According to Ford, the Taurus Police Interceptor will be available in the spring of 2012 with either a 3.5 liter DOHC V6 or with an all-wheel-drive, EcoBoost 3.5 liter with twin turbochargers.
Council voted 3-2 to buy the Crown Victoria.
Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman reminded council they committed to downsize police cars at a February budget work session. At an earlier meeting in August, council received a request to approve the purchase of a Crown Victoria for the police department, something Wichterman opposed.
He noted Ford would discontinue manufacture of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor at the end of this year.
Councilman William Murray predicted the Ford Taurus Police Interceptor would not be available to small towns like Cape May until 2013 since larger municipalities get the initial orders.
He said Police Chief Diane Sorantino recommended the city purchase a Crown Vic while they are waiting for the new model to keep rotation of police cars up to date.
Councilwoman Deanna Fiocca said council had budgeted for the police car purchase.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said he supported purchasing a Crown Vic, not wanting to jeopardize the safety and welfare of officers by waiting as long as two years for the new Ford Taurus. If council did not approve purchase of the Crown Vic at this time, he predicted it would have to purchase two vehicles next year at a cost of $50,000, which is not available under the 2 percent state spending cap.