Throughout Christiansburg's Finance Committee meetings, working on drafting a proposed budget for fiscal year 2009-2010, one item that has received a lot of attention has been town vehicles.

Who has them and why?  How long have they been in service and how many miles?  What's the maintenance versus replacement cost?  If replaced, is a vehicle declared surplus or reassigned? 

An item in today's Finance Committee meeting was revisiting the need for the Police Department to replace vehicles with some SUVs.  Whether due to rare inclement weather -- when it happens, you want a first responder able to get there -- or for something occurring away from paved roads, these vehicles are important tools to provide for key emergency service personnel.

Leaving the meeting, one town vehicle sat (rather forlornly) on the town's lot.  Perhaps this vehicle has been in service as long as the Town Manager?  At least he's not showing as much sign of rust.