St. Mary's County commissioners reviewed a proposed vehicle replacement plan and related fleet policies during a March 7 budget work session, with staff outlining financing options, replacement criteria and a small inventory-technology investment.

County staff presented a proposed replacement list for 29 vehicles and pieces of equipment and an exempt financing plan that would cover a portion of the cost. The vehicle schedule identifies 15 vehicles for the sheriff's office, six for the Department of Public Works and Transportation, three for Recreation and Parks, two for Animal Control and Public Safety, one for a human services program (Marcy House) and two tractors in the solid waste enterprise fund. The submission shows an aggregate financed amount of about $1.3 million; staff estimated the annual exempt-financing cost at roughly $310,382 in the package materials and noted the sheriff's replacement subtotal of about $129,882 sits in the sheriff's above-target request.

George Erickson, public works budget lead, said the county has not budgeted systematically for fleet replacement in the last two years and that the list prioritizes high-age and high-mileage vehicles. He explained the county uses both an age-and-mileage criterion (for example, replacement at 8 years and/or 125,000 miles) rather than an "or" criterion in order to limit the number of vehicles qualifying for replacement in any single year.

Erickson and commissioners also discussed the county's take-home-vehicle policy, which was adopted about two years earlier to reduce fuel and mileage reimbursements by restricting routine take-home use except for operational necessities such as storm response. Erickson said the policy reduced mileage reimbursement and overall fuel use.

Staff proposed a $55,000 investment in a parts-inventory barcoding system for the vehicle maintenance shop. The system would barcode parts and integrate with the county's work-order and asset-management software, replacing a largely manual parts-inventory process, staff said. Erickson said the sheriff's office already uses barcoding in its property room and that the proposed system would use the same approach to improve shop efficiency and auditability.

The board did not adopt a final replacement list or financing package at the meeting. Staff said if the board approves a vehicle replacement plan in the coming weeks the financing cost would be moved from the central vehicle-maintenance account out to department budgets when the plan is implemented. Commissioners asked staff to return with a refined list and updated cash-flow and financing figures before a final decision.