A possible overhaul of the county’s vehicle fleet remains under consideration as Allen County commissioners continue weighing costs, long-term savings and how large of a program the county can realistically support.
Ken Olsen, senior account executive with Enterprise Fleet Management, presented updated information to commissioners Tuesday morning after spending several weeks meeting with department heads and reviewing individual vehicle needs.
The process involved evaluating each vehicle and building a budget model to reflect the financial impact of their replacement.
The initial proposal outlined a full replacement of 40 vehicles across the sheriff’s office, road and bridge, public works and a courthouse unit.
Under the plan, Enterprise would acquire new vehicles, sell off aging units and return equity to the county. The vehicles would be placed on equity leases, generally ranging from three to five years, with the county receiving proceeds when units are sold.
That full-scale approach would generate an estimated $299,000 in equity from current vehicles while requiring annual lease payments of $485,710. Over time, additional equity would be returned as newer vehicles are sold, bringing the average annual cost over five years to roughly $275,000. The plan would also reduce the fleet’s average age from about 14 years to new.
Commission Chair David Lee said his primary concern remains the bottom line.
“I am just interested in what the cost to the county is going to be,” he said. “At the end of the day, what is it going to cost to implement some or all of them?”
Olsen explained that when factoring in equity from vehicle sales, the first year’s cost could be significantly reduced, potentially lowering the net impact to around $187,000. Because many vehicles would arrive later in the year, he added, the county could see minimal budget impact initially.
Commissioner Jerry Daniels said the program appears beneficial but questioned the upfront commitment.
“I think you have a good program,” Daniels said. “I think it would be very beneficial for larger counties. I think the initial acquisition is just a little steep for us.”
That led to discussion of a smaller, phased-in approach.
Rather than replacing all 40 vehicles at once, commissioners showed interest in introducing the program gradually — possibly starting with around 10 vehicles and expanding over time. Olsen said that model is workable and often successful, particularly when departments are included across the board to ensure the program gains traction countywide.
Daniels indicated he would support a scaled-down version focusing on lighter-duty vehicles such as patrol units and pickups, while still evaluating broader participation in the future.
SHERIFF Anthony Maness told commissioners his department could work with either approach and has already worked with Olsen to tailor vehicle specifications to meet operational needs.
Maintenance costs were also discussed.
