Holmes County commissioners approve plan to replace 10 road trucks using guaranteed resale program

Holmes County commissioners approved a plan to replace 10 aging road trucks using a state-contract purchase paired with a three-year guaranteed-resale financing arrangement, after presentations from county staff and vendor TruckWorks.

The replacement plan was presented to the board as a way to capture unusually high resale values in the current market while avoiding immediate cash outlays. TruckWorks proposed new tri-axle dump trucks priced around $190,000 each and offered a guaranteed minimum resale value of $155,000 per truck at the end of a three-year term. Under the recommended option, the county would sell its current trucks at an upcoming auction (December was identified as the best sale window) and use proceeds plus a three-year payment schedule to cover the new trucks.

Board discussion focused on the age and mileage of the county’s existing fleet (2018–2019 model years, many with roughly 100,000 miles), likely maintenance costs if replacements are deferred, and the timing of auction sales. Staff noted recurring repairs (tires, brakes, occasional transmissions) and warned that waiting another year could reduce resale proceeds.

Commissioners moved to proceed with the vendor’s option that included the three-year payment structure and resale guarantee. The motion carried following a second and roll-call-style verbal affirmations recorded as “yes.” Staff were directed to work with the county attorney to execute the state-source contract and to prepare any required RFP/advertisement language if needed. The county attorney was also asked to prepare the activation/authorization letter required under the state contract so the purchase can proceed.

County staff and the vendor advised the board that if the county sells its current trucks at the December auction and secures the guaranteed minimum, proceeds could cover a significant portion of the three-year payment schedule. Staff emphasized that the first payment under the three-year plan would be due in arrears (about 13 months after acquisition under the option described), giving the county time to sell old equipment.

The board took no additional budget appropriation at the meeting and was advised that, administratively, purchases made under the state contract will require coordination between the county attorney and procurement staff. Commissioners also asked staff to document tire and other maintenance work needed to prepare the current trucks for auction (tires must meet minimum tread requirements and equipment should be cleaned for sale).

Ending: Staff will return contract documents and auction-preparation costs to the board for final execution and to confirm the timeline for pickup and transport of units to the auction. The county attorney will draft the necessary activation letter under the state contract; staff will report back with final numbers and timing.