VIDALIA — Thirty Concordia Parish vehicles, including tractors and trucks, are now equipped with GPS systems capable not only of tracking the vehicles’ locations but also the engines’ statuses and such details as gas and oil levels.

The Concordia Parish Police Jury during Monday’s regular meeting approved the purchase of the 30 GPS systems at a total cost of $3,250.

The GPS systems have been installed and tested in the vehicles since earlier this year on a trial basis that was set to expire next week.

Secretary-Treasurer Sandi Burley said the systems purchased from Verizon Fleetmatics.

“We’ve shopped at least three different companies,” Burley said. “By far, they’ve got the best desktop in my opinion. … It even tracks your engine, so you could keep up with the vehicle’s maintenance if you needed to. All of that is included, and it works off of satellite — not towers.”

Burley said $10,000 was budgeted for purchasing the systems in the 2018 fiscal year, without knowing how much the equipment would cost.

With District 3B juror Whest Shirley, police jury president Jimmy Wilkinson and District 4A juror Jerry Beatty absent, the board approved the purchase of the systems by a vote of 6-0 for $3,250 and a total monthly cost of $549.

In other matters at the Concordia Parish Police Jury meeting Monday evening, all present members:

• Approved the authorization of Wilkinson to sign an “opt-in” statement to receive Payments in Lieu of Taxes, federal money owed to the parish in the amount of $1,801. Payments in Lieu of Taxes, or PILT, are payable to the parish to offset losses in property taxes for federally-owned land.
• Approved a request by the LSU Ag Center to host a 4-H Pet Show on the lawn of the old courthouse on Carter Street.
• Approved alcohol permits and occupational licenses for Spokane Resort and Frozen Spokane in Ferriday.
• Approved a motion to send a letter to state officials asking the state to replace a missing state-owned stop sign on Anderson Road.