Washtenaw County approves first-year payment for 14-vehicle fleet lease with Enterprise

Washtenaw County commissioners approved a one-year, $258,003.60 payment from the general fund to begin a fleet-management and open-end lease agreement with Enterprise that will replace 14 county vehicles and transition future lease payments to the sheriff’s office budget.

Enterprise presented its fleet-management proposal to the board, describing the open-end (equity) lease as a tool that “allows us to match a holding period with payment term.” The vendor said the approach reduces near-term cash outflow, avoids traditional dealership penalties for over-mileage or interior wear, and allows the county to capture equity from vehicle resale.

The vendor provided an illustrative example showing a $33,000 vehicle operated for four years and 100,000 miles with a projected end-of-term payoff amount of…