©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| City Disputes Aldermen's Accounts of Squad Car Accident -- DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE HERE |
At least two Galesburg aldermen are saying they didn't vote to purchase a squad car at Monday night's meeting not because they wanted to buy local instead of following the law, but they also say they're still not pleased with the process -- something the city administration differs on.
First Ward Alderman Ken Goad and Sixth Ward Alderman Wayne Allen say they voted to reject the low bid on the purchase of a new police department squad car, because they don't feel the city needs the vehicle despite it replacing one wrecked in an October accident -- not because they wanted to skirt the law, reject a Springfield dealer as the low bidder, and pick a local dealer instead.
But they're also displeased with what they claim was a lack of information by the city on how the accident occurred to begin with.
Allen tells WGIL he didn't get much information at all until Monday night's vote.
"We were two and a half months from getting any good information on how the squad car was wrecked, what happened to the individual who wrecked it, and so forth," Allen said.
But in e-mails obtained by WGIL, City Manager Dane Bragg notified the council of the accident on October 17th, a day after the crash occurred, on October 21st when Police Chief David Christensen sent Bragg more details on the accident, and then on December 21st following the completion of an investigation. And those documents indicate that both Allen and Goad received and read those e-mails at those times. (Documents available in the links above in pdf format)
In short, according to the e-mails, portions of which are redacted for personnel privacy reasons, a Galesburg officer was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident following the October 16th crash on East South Street just before 6am, and that he suffered face and hand injuries.
The officer was sanctioned according to police department policy following the investigation, and has since been transferred to first shift.
Neither Allen nor Goad made clear why they voted no during what otherwise is an open discussion taking place during a meeting that is open to public. |
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| 01 08 10 by Newsroom |
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