Government

Town to purchase new truck for supervisor following crash

The Southold Town Board is set to approve the purchase of a new Ford Escape for Town Supervisor Scott Russell Tuesday night. 

The purchase comes two months after Mr. Russell was involved in a single-car crash in Cutchogue, totaling a town-issued 2014 Escape purchased a year earlier. He was driving alone on Skunk Lane near Haywaters Drive when his mini-SUV slid off the road, “rolled and came to a rest on the driver’s side” at around 9:30 p.m. Nov. 17, police said at the time. He exited the vehicle on his own and no violations were issued.

The purchase of the new vehicle — which Mr. Russell said will cost $24,500 — is partially covered by a $19,500 payment from the town’s insurance provider for the loss of the supervisor’s previous truck.

This is the fourth town-owned vehicle assigned to Mr. Russell since he took office in 2006. In 2012, the town spent $21,500 on a new Ford Escape to replace a 2002 Crown Victoria driven by Mr. Russell and his predecessor Josh Horton.

Mr. Russell was then issued a 2014 Ford Escape last year after the town reassigned his previous vehicle to a code enforcement official.

He said that since the crash he has been driving a town-owned 2002 Dodge van assigned to the general motor pool.

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