John Coffelt, Editor

A technical error by a salesman at Ford of Murfreesboro could cost the city about $2,000 more than allotted for the purchase of a new 350 Ford Transit Van for the Parks and Recreation Department.

In October the Manchester Parks and Recreation Department brought before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen a request for the $53,723 vehicle to transport youth who participate in the after school program. BOMA approved a contract without a formal bid using the statewide general services contract for that amount with a  5-0 vote with Alderman James Threet absent at the October meeting.

Yet when Parks and  Recreation Director AJ Fox  recently returned to the dealership to make the purchase he was told the initial quote had a mistake in it and the van would now cost $55,712.

“The contact at the dealership said he was sorry, he misquoted the price of the vehicle by $1,989,” Fox told the Finance Committee during the Dec. 30 special call meeting.

Fox said he asked the dealer if there was anything he could to remedy the mistake and the salesman declined.

The Finance Committee was unsure how binding the initial quoted price would be without a formal bid.  The quote expired Dec. 10, but the city’s purchase order was submitted prior to that date.

“What happens if you don’t take that quote?” Vice Mayor Mark Messick said. “What happens if you say this is what (the board) said this is what I could buy it for and this is what I’m going to buy it for?”

Alderman Thomas Crosslin added, “If he’s willing to lose $53,000 over $2,000–”

“Everything that I screwed up I had to own it and eat the cost,” Crosslin said.

Crosslin noted that with the quote expired the salesman may push back on the price and go up. Messick said it’s not the city’s fault the deal has been delayed past the quote expiration date.

He suggested that if possible a local leadership would be preferable for the purchase.

“We were in good faith going to carry through with that purchase,” Messick said. “Cooler heads might should prevail on this…. (but) you tell me you’re going to sell me a truck at that price and I expect to pay that price.”

Director of Finance Anthony Burrows asked how binding a quote is under the state contract.

“That’s something I’d be curious about,” he said. “If they were legally bound. This is your quote so this is what we get to purchase for. I don’t know if such a provision exists.”

The Street Department recently purchased new one-ton snow plow-rated trucks from the dealership and recommended the business to Fox.

The Finance Committee postponed the matter for the Jan. 21 meeting so the price can be settled.

Ford of Murfreesboro was contacted for comment for this story.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.