TIFTON — The Tift County Board of Commissioners has purchased a truck for use by its animal control department.

The vehicle, a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, will replace a similar truck formerly in use by the department for over 120,000 miles that had recently suffered engine failure.

County manager Jim Carter explained at both the commission’s workshop meeting last week and its recent June 9 meeting that the truck currently in use by the county animal control was suffering engine failure, and would cost anywhere from around $10,000 to $18,000, depending on either a repair job or a complete replacement of the engine.

Board members approved the purchase of the new truck during their most recent meeting for $42,690, initially planning to tackle it collectively with the rest of their consent agenda. However, at the request of commissioner Stan Stalnaker, the item was shifted to their regular agenda for further discussion.

Carter reported that the county had received four bids for the replacement truck, with the lowest coming from Dale Earnhart, Jr. Chevrolet of Thomasville. However, the second lowest bid had come in from Griffin Ford, a local dealership, at only $85 more, placing it well in range of the county’s 3% bid preference for local commerce.

Stalnaker recommended the local bid after confirming that there was little difference between the Ford and Chevy trucks being offered. He expressed an interest in supporting their local dealer especially with the context of the meager difference in price.

However, the board elected to approve the purchase of the Chevrolet, with Stalnaker as the only dissenting vote.