June 13, 2006 Vehicle mileage information

An earlier post reported that Sheriff Otto Purkey refuses to provide mileage information for his department's vehicles once-a-year.

Why is county vehicle mileage information important to have?

To help in planning for short-term and long-term replacement needs.

Commissioner Joe Spoone once pointed out that two vehicles of the same year can be very different. Anyone who has looked at used cars or traded a car knows this, too.

The value and continued usefulness of a sheriff's vehicle--or any other vehicle-- depend largely on the mileage and condition.

A 2001 patrol vehicle that has 175,000 miles on it and a lengthy history of repairs may need to be replaced. A 2001 patrol vehicle with 75,000 miles on it and no major repairs may be good for several more years.

It is important to have mileage information---and asking that mileage information be provided once-a-year along with the required vehicle listing is about as simple a request as one can make.

There are counties in Tennessee that update the mileage information on their vehicles at least monthly.

There are counties in Tennessee that can, and will, provide a printout that identifies every patrol vehicle by VIN number and shows the mileage for each vehicle within a few hours of the request.

If you ask for mileage information in Hamblen County, you will get it from every official or department head except Sheriff Otto Purkey and his brother County Mayor David Purkey (who drives a vehicle that is listed in the Sheriff's Department).