After driving around for almost eight months in a near vintage and mechanically dysfunctional Jeep 4x4 that was first acquired when his father was in office, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal finally gets to experience something like that "new car smell."The Newtown Bee "With all the low mileage off-lease vehicles out there, and the ability to purchase extended warranties like we have on this one, I think Newtown should be looking at more pre-owned vehicles," Mr Rosenthal told 

The "something like" is because the first selectman's new vehicle is used - and he is actually pretty happy about that.

a few days after acquiring the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse.

"This one was GM certified with 32,000 miles on it, and we were able to get into it for $26,000," he said of the new, dark blue, all-wheel drive SUV with the easily identifiable "1-NT" marker plate.

Shortly after taking office last December, Mr Rosenthal began experiencing some of the mechanical downfalls of the 2002 Jeep Cherokee that carried three first selectmen before him: his father, Herb Rosenthal, Joe Borst, and Pat Llodra.

"It had its issues that were commensurate with its age, and it was starting to show a lot more body rust," Mr Rosenthal said of his retired Jeep Grand Cherokee.

After researching a straight lease option on a smaller sedan or hybrid, Mr Rosenthal said he decided to recommend getting this vehicle on what is described as an "internal lease," by Finance Director Robert Tait.

He said because the vehicle would have to be classified as having multiple drivers - because the first selectman might not be the sole operator if it was being transported for repairs and such - the lease cost requirement was astronomically high compared to the town's motor pool acquiring the Chevrolet for cash and then using the already budgeted $5,000 annual lease funds to pay off the vehicle in the space of five years.

The funds to cover the outright purchase came from the capital nonrecurring account, Mr Tait said, with the $5,000 annual payments against that procurement coming from the Highway Department's carpool budget.

"At that point, the town owns the vehicle, instead of just turning back in off-lease," Mr Rosenthal said. "I expect this one will last a long time."