Saline City Council invests in modernizing its fleet with new vehicles, addressing efficiency and sustainability goals.

Photo: Saline Deputy City Manager Elle Cole speaks on the city’s fleet upgrade at the council’s November 18, 2024 meeting. Image: City video screenshot

At the November 18, 2024, meeting, the Saline City Council unanimously approved the purchase of new vehicles and equipment for the city’s operations. The total cost of the purchases, not exceeding $290,000, will be covered by the Vehicle and Equipment Replacement Fund (VERF). These acquisitions aim to replace aging fleet components and improve overall efficiency.

Deputy City Manager Elle Cole introduced the motion, explaining, “All of the purchases we are discussing tonight are part of the vehicle and equipment fund that was created as part of the budget process this year. They were approved in the budget for purchase. All of them are being purchased off of state contracts through MiDeal, which is a special consortium that allows us for very, very good deals this year.”

The approved purchases include:

• A 2026 HV607 SBA plow truck at approximately $105,000.
• A 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid to replace an existing Ford Focus, costing $26,876.
• Two Ford F-250 regular cab trucks, each priced at $48,945.
• A Ford F-600 chip truck chassis at $48,000.

City Manager Colleen O’Toole highlighted the improvements these investments bring, stating, “What we’ve seen is a dramatic improvement in the overall age of our fleet, removing some of the materials that we’ve had and equipment that was, you know, from the ’70s, ’80s, early ’90s. After this purchase, we now have a fleet that is all within about 20 to 25 years old.”

During the discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Janet Dillon raised concerns about the decision to replace the Ford Focus. She questioned whether the Maverick was the best option and suggested repurposing existing vehicles, noting, “I’m just having a really hard time spending money when we’re going to be asking our residents for large increases.” Dillon also expressed hesitation about purchasing Ford vehicles, citing recalls and reliability issues.

Councilmember Dean Girbach voiced interest in exploring electric vehicle (EV) alternatives to align with the city’s sustainability goals. “I know going into the next few years, that’s a whole big can of worms to open, but I just want to understand,” he said.

Acknowledging these concerns, Cole responded, “Currently, we have not had a plan for an EV program at the city. However, we are working on beginning to develop one, and hopefully, it is something we’ll be able to discuss this year as part of the budget season.”

Mayor Brian Marl echoed the need to consider EVs in future discussions, stating, “I think we’re a little behind on the transition to EVs. Not only would I like to see us invest in an electric vehicle, but also, in the next calendar year, install some additional electric vehicle charging stations at key points throughout our community.”

Despite these deliberations, the council approved the motion to proceed with the purchases. Marl concluded, “This is an important step forward in ensuring our fleet is capable of meeting the city’s operational needs effectively and efficiently.”