According to a story on The Memphis Commercial Appeal website, former Memphis General Service Director Estrice Boone spent more than $20,000 to have a crashed Dodge Charger police car rehabbed and upgraded into his personal “hot rod.” The work was performed by employees who were managed by Boone. Boone claims that only $3,800 was spent on the project, but documents suggest that $20,000 is the real figure.
The story begins with a wrecked Dodge Charger police car that Boone ordered to be repaired. During the repair process, which cost more than $11,000 in labor alone, new wheels were added, and a hood scoop, window tinting, and some other goodies were tacked on. Boone’s stance on the story is that this act was a money saver for the city and the whole deal cost only $3,800.
Boone was recently notified that he would no longer be employed by the city after January 26th, but the new mayor claims that this decision had nothing to do with this whole car flap. He just wants to pick his own team, so he claims.
Boone, quoted several times in the Commercial Appeal story, is not exactly repentant for doing this. He was quoted as saying, “You know what people said about that car? ‘Damn, it looks good!” Another wrinkle in the story is that his job really didn’t come with a city paid for car. About that Boone said, “If I’m the division director why can’t I drive a car?”
We’d say that his estimate of $3,800 spent is either a bold face lie, or the words of a guy who has no idea what junk cots.
Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal —Former Memphis General Services boss Boone’s car fix rolls up to $20K
