Cook County OKs lease purchase of six fleet SUVs to replenish county vehicle pool

Cook County commissioners on April 22 approved a zero‑down lease purchase for six small all‑wheel‑drive SUVs to replenish a diminished county fleet after a recent string of write‑offs and mechanical failures.

Maintenance‑and‑leasing analysis Maintenance manager Brooke Lessard told commissioners the county’s vehicle fleet fell from 17 to 14 units over recent years and that aging vehicles increased reliance on employee personal vehicles and higher reimbursement costs. Lessard presented three financing scenarios (10,000‑dollar down; 5,000 down; and zero down) and recommended the zero‑down option to minimize upfront impact on the vehicle fund while still adding fleet capacity. He said maintenance was included in the proposed lease and local service providers would perform routine work.

Budget and funding Lessard and county staff told the board the vehicle fund’s current balance would sustain the zero‑down lease through the remainder of 2025 and into 2026 provided vehicle use rebounds (staff estimated better uptake of fleet vehicles once newer units are available). The board authorized the purchase using the zero‑down lease structure; commissioners said they preferred the least‑cost approach that still restored fleet capability.

Ending County staff will order six AWD SUVs and retire four older units through sale at state auction or other surplus methods, then report delivery, reimbursement changes and maintenance experience in a future update.