Cook County staff urge quick action on aging vehicle fleet; leasing proposed as short-term fix

County staff told the Committee of the Whole that the county’s vehicle fleet has deteriorated and requires near-term additions and a long-term replacement strategy to keep basic services running during the field season. Brooke Lessard presented options and numbers for replacing or leasing vehicles and recommended a hybrid approach: a five-year lease for six all‑wheel‑drive RAV4 SUVs plus shopping for one used cargo van.

Lessard said the department used to maintain 17 vehicles but that number dropped to 14 last year after one vehicle was totaled, one “died” and one was transferred to the airport as a courtesy vehicle. Five of the oldest vehicles (model years ranging from 1999 to about 2009) need replacement, she said. The county’s vehicle fund ran a deficit last year: mileage reimbursement invoiced about $50,000 while vehicle maintenance and gasoline expenses were $63,677, producing a shortfall of $13,202 in the vehicle fund, Lessard said. "Because of our aging vehicles and our high cost and maintenance, our vehicle fund has been going in the wrong direction since about mid-COVID," she said.

Lessard outlined three acquisition options: (1) Enterprise Government Leasing (a five-year lease with maintenance included; current quoted interest ~7.49%), (2) a buy-and-lease combination (buy used vehicles and self-manage maintenance), and (3) short-term rentals for the summer field season. She described Enterprise’s five‑year lease with an option to own at the end and presented estimated annual costs. With maintenance included, the enterprise lease scenario would push annual fleet costs toward roughly $50,000–$63,000 depending on vehicle mix and whether a cargo van is included.

Lessard’s immediate recommendation was a hybrid: lease six RAV4 all‑wheel‑drive SUVs through the Enterprise program (maintenance included for five years) and buy one used cargo van for maintenance/custodial needs. She said Enterprise’s pricing and the maintenance package are attractive for small, low‑mileage county fleets; Lake County (a comparator) had adopted a five-year lease model and assesses vehicles annually to decide whether to keep or replace them.

Commissioners pressed for numeric scenarios showing (a) current fund revenue and historical mileage, (b) a comparison of leasing vs. buying (including maintenance) using local price quotes and county travel patterns, and (c) how assumed usage changes might affect fund balance. Commissioner Gamble suggested modeling the existing 70¢ per-mile reimbursement and comparing it with lease and purchase scenarios. Commissioners and staff also discussed timing: procurement in October tends to yield better fleet pricing and lead times mean ordered vehicles often arrive in spring, but a looming price increase was reported by staff (representatives warned of a possible $6,000 per-vehicle price increase mid-summer), arguing for quicker board decisions.

Several commissioners urged an immediate short-term purchase or lease of at least four vehicles (two to meet immediate seasonal needs and two backups) so field operations are not compromised while staff prepare a multi-year replacement plan and a budget request for 2026. Lessard said she would prepare a clearer spreadsheet model of options, historical maintenance and revenue, and the likely 2026 budget impact and bring it to the next board meeting if possible. No formal vote was taken at the committee meeting.

The committee also discussed financing alternatives (local bank financing, down payment options, and the feasibility of using a portion of the existing vehicle fund to reduce lease balloon payments), and commissioners asked staff to check exact enterprise lease terms, interest rates in peer counties and whether local shops could perform the maintenance that Enterprise would include. Lessard said Enterprise allows local shops to perform covered maintenance under the program. The committee set a priority: secure enough vehicles to meet immediate field‑season needs and return with financially modeled options and a recommended procurement timeline for board consideration.