City says equipment‑replacement fund underfunded; FY27 includes phased network upgrades

City staff told the council the recurring transfer to the equipment replacement fund is currently $200,000 per year but that a complete five‑year replacement schedule would require approximately $375,000 annually. Jared said staff prioritize replacements and defer some equipment beyond ideal useful life when funding is limited.

"So laptops, 5 years... to do that, it takes roughly $375,000 per year," Jared said, explaining why the current $200,000 transfer has been underfunded. He added the FY27 proposal includes a $705,000 one‑time transfer to replace about 40% of the city's network infrastructure in a phased approach to avoid a single multimillion‑dollar project every five to seven years.

Why it matters: underfunding replacement schedules can increase long‑term maintenance costs and cause service interruptions. Council members asked about leasing options and whether phased replacement and prioritization could balance costs and service reliability.