Committee delays two vehicle replacements after staff report trucks remain in serviceable condition

On Aug. 11, 2025, the Town CIP Committee reviewed vehicle replacement entries for the assessing and building departments and was told two vehicle purchases originally projected for 2026 are being deferred to 2032 because the existing trucks remain in serviceable condition. The issue is significant for budgeting because multi-year deferrals affect fleet replacement reserves and the timing of future capital outlays. A staff member who spoke about the fleet schedule said the two projects were originally projected for 2026 but are proposed to be pushed out because the trucks ‘‘are in such good condition still’’ and departments are requesting the same replacement amounts when they next appear in the CIP, even if the purchase year shifts. Committee members questioned whether the $35,000 estimate for a replacement vehicle remains accurate. A staff member replied that a more precise amount will be provided closer to the purchase date: “Ordinarily, when it gets closer to when they wanna purchase, they’ll actually update with a real amount.” Staff and committee members also discussed vehicle assignments and usage. The transcript indicates both departments purchased the pair of vehicles together and that each department has its own assigned vehicle (model years shown as 2018); staff noted occasional shared use by administration personnel. One committee member summarized the long-range funding picture discussed in the meeting: by 2030 the replacement reserves for those lines could total roughly $60,000 under current contributions, though specific schedules and numbers will be updated as departments provide final figures. Next steps: staff said they will update the fleet replacement chart and provide more current cost estimates as the projected purchase years approach. No formal vote or motion on vehicle-schedule changes was recorded in the meeting transcript.