County motor pool review: sheriff fleet replacement plan, costs and reserves discussed

Sean Rueli, Public Works, reviewed the county's motor-pool budget and the sheriff's vehicle replacement approach at the County Commissioners' workshop.
Rueli said the sheriff's fleet (47 active vehicles and six spares) is handled differently from other county vehicles. The department uses a fixed funding method that budgets $21,000 per vehicle for replacement over a five-year period plus roughly $5,000 annually for maintenance, producing a per‑vehicle annual cost of about $26,000 for budgeting. Rueli told the board that staff now estimate a full purchase-and-upfit cost of about $105,000 per new sheriff patrol vehicle.
Rueli described the fund's self-insurance arrangement: vehicle damage and repairs are funded from reserves rather than by an external insurance policy; the county maintains a separate general‑fund transfer (about $105,000) to help with accident and repair costs. He said the motor pool covers roughly 70 vehicles across 15 departments; the average county vehicle model year is about 2016 with roughly 50,000 miles on average, though mileage and ages vary widely.
Why it matters: the sheriff fleet and motor-pool reserves drive recurring budget needs and long‑term replacement planning; higher per-vehicle purchase and upfit costs and self-insurance exposures affect future appropriations.
Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: Staff presented the budget methodology and projections (discussion) and described the annual review process with the sheriff's office; commissioners asked for clarifications about funding, spare-vehicle counts, and vehicle life expectancy. No formal budget vote was recorded at the workshop.
Ending: Staff said the county will continue annual reviews with the sheriff and other departments, update replacement schedules, and return during budget hearings to request appropriations as needed.