Elmhurst creates central fleet fund to consolidate vehicle maintenance and replacement costs

Elmhurst aldermen reviewed and approved a new central fleet internal service fund in the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, consolidating citywide vehicle maintenance and capital replacement spending into a single account.

The new fund moves maintenance, fuel and vehicle‑replacement contributions out of individual department budgets into one central account. Director Coyle told the committee the fund “centralizes all of the fleet maintenance costs and all of the fleet replacement costs,” and that departments will contribute for both maintenance and capital on a pro rata basis determined by fleet value and maintenance share.

City officials said the change is designed to smooth volatile year‑to‑year vehicle costs and create a predictable replacement schedule over time. Coyle said staff modelled a five‑year forecast to determine annual contributions and to avoid a cost‑prohibitive up‑front funding…