Twin Lakes will be purchasing this Harley-Davidson motocycle for about $8,000.
Purchasing the police motorcycle the police department has been using for years and continuing pay for some village commission members were restored to the Twin Lakes 2010 budget before its approval Monday night.
The resulting levy will be $3,255,231 for 2010, about a 5.5 percent increase from 2009’s levy of $3,084,497.
The budget and levy were approved unanimously by the Village Board.
A public hearing on the budget that preceded the special board meeting at which the approvals took place was dominated by discussion of the motorcycle.
Police officer Randy Prudik, one of two department officers certified to use the bike, defended its purchase. The department in recent years had been leasing the machine from Uke’s Harley-Davidson in Kenosha for $1 per year, but that program has been withdrawn by the dealer. Instead, the motorcycle was offered to the village for purchase for $8,000.
The motorcyle has been useful to the department, Prudik contended, pointing out that it regularly brings in a donation of over $1,000 for the part it plays in an annual bike blessing and ride each year. The motorcycle also was used extensively for patrol during the Country Thunder Music Festival this year.
Trustee Sharon Bower, however, repeated her criticism of the purchase, saying it was too much to spend during economically challenged times. She added that the motorcycle has seen little use in the past, with it having just 3,000 miles on its odometer.
“That motorcycle has not been used that much,” Bower said.
Village President Howard Skinner said the motorcycle was put into the budget with the idea it will be evaluated next year.
“I can’t stress enough to use it,” Skinner said to Prudik.
The village expects to be able to purchase the motorcycle with surplus funds from the 2009 budget.
The board also agreed to restore $6,400 to the budget slated for paying $25 per meeting to the members of some village boards and commissions.
