Brownwood City Council, Brownwood Ford, AFA Ford Boycott and Small Town Morality !
Wednesday November 15, 2006
News
City council balks at accepting bid from local dealership
By Steve Nash — Brownwood Bulletin
Brownwood City Council members refused to award a bid Tuesday to Brownwood Ford Lincoln Mercury for three new police cars, citing concerns about the dealership’s bankruptcy filing.
“What’s the status of Brownwood Ford?” council member Grady Chastain asked after council members were told that the dealership had submitted the sole bid of $57,854, counting a $5,500 trade-in on three older police cars.
Council members did not reject the bid outright, but tabled it after some council members leveled criticism at the dealership, which filed for Chapter 11 protection on July 19 to give owners an opportunity to reorganize.
“I think the police department needs vehicles,” Chastain said, but urged the council to table the matter “until we can get some information that’s solid.”
Brownwood Ford officials declined to comment.
Mayor Bert Massey said he has heard “fifth-hand” that dealership owner Mark Barrow has agreed to sell some of his interest in the dealership in an agreement that will “put it back on its feet and take it out of Chapter 11.”
Massey stressed that he has no first-hand knowledge of the situation.
Before council members tabled the matter, councilman Dave Fair said he would vote against awarding the bid to Brownwood Ford.
Fair said he knows of customers who traded in vehicles to the dealership and learned later that the dealership had not paid off the notes. The customers have been held liable for the notes by the original financing institutions and threatened with repossession, Fair said.
Councilman Ed McMillian said the city shouldn’t award bids “when they walk off and leave” owing money to vendors.
“This is not aimed at the Brownwood Police Department,” Fair said.
Assistant Police Chief Garry Page said the deadline for seeking bids from
auto manufacturers is in December.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/11/15/news/news01.txt
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