Adams County staff say fleet vehicle policy nearly finished; priority set to first-come, first-serve

Kelly, a county staff member, told the Adams County meeting that the county is near completion of a fleet vehicle policy and that “the largest area of discussion regarding that policy has been, really talking about priority, who gets priority” and that the committee has decided the policy will use a first-come, first-serve approach.

The policy discussion focused on how better data collection could support decisions about whether to add vehicles. Kelly said some staff drive personal vehicles and do not always report mileage or requests, which prevents accurate tracking of unmet vehicle need: “If you don't ask, it's not recorded, and then we don't have those numbers.” She asked employees to send vehicle requests through the county’s front reception so the office can log demand.

Board members asked follow-up questions about vehicle use and alternatives. One committee member asked whether county vehicles travel statewide or only within the county; Kelly said use varies and “sometimes they might be going to Madison for an appointment or La Crosse for an appointment.” Another member raised the possibility of electric vehicles; Kelly responded that it was not her decision and that she had limited technical detail on EV suitability. Members discussed the need for short-notice access — Kelly said staff can sometimes obtain a county vehicle the same day if needed.

The county said it will continue improving data collection on vehicle use and mileage to establish whether additional vehicles are required and to support requests to county management.

Ending: The policy is not yet finalized; staff said implementation details and any future procurement will be based on the data the county collects about vehicle requests and usage.