Executive committee debates in‑house truck building, rejects immediate hire of full‑time mechanic

The Ashland County Executive Committee discussed a proposal from the Highway Department to hire a full‑time mechanic and to explore building plow trucks in county shops rather than outsourcing the work to commercial bodybuilders.

Highway staff presented cost estimates and operational rationale. Matt, speaking for the department, described a survey of 72 Wisconsin counties that found 42 responses and nine counties currently building trucks in‑house. He estimated about 600 labor hours to build a truck, suggested potential labor savings of roughly $73,000 per truck if built in‑house and identified additional recovered operator hours valued at about $52,000 per year. Matt said parts can be procured through government contracts or Sourcewell pricing and that in‑house building could allow the county to specify higher‑quality components and placements.

Committee members raised questions about procurement pricing, shop space, the learning curve for new builds, parts availability at wholesale prices, succession risk (dependence on existing mechanics), and whether building trucks could become a multi‑county business opportunity eligible for innovation fund grants. County staff noted the state Innovation Fund requires projects to be “emerging services” with a five‑year contract and has several restrictions.

Pat Kinney, finance chair, and others stressed the committee needed clearer financials, including net revenue comparisons that account for equipment depreciation, fringe benefits, and overhead for shop space. Members also requested documentation on currently forgone reimbursable work (state, township, U.S. Forest Service) that the department believes it cannot pursue because staff are occupied in the shop.

A motion to hire a mechanic was made and seconded but failed on a roll‑call vote. The recorded responses showed at least two ‘no’ votes and one ‘yes’; the chair declared the motion failed and requested the item be returned to the next Executive Committee agenda so all members could participate. The Highway Department was asked to bring more detailed budget comparisons and revenue estimates to the June 11 Finance Committee meeting.

The discussion also covered timing: highway staff said new chassis arrival and builder backlog mean the first truck the county could build would likely be started in summer 2026 and that chassis orders already in the system often sit with builders for many months. Staff emphasized that hiring a mechanic could be justified independently of an in‑house truck‑building program because current shop demand uses the equivalent of about 1,500 operator hours per year for shop work that would otherwise be done in the field.

The committee did not make a final decision on the concept of in‑house truck building or multi‑county collaboration; it asked staff to provide written financial comparisons, procurement details, and potential partnership options for future meetings.