Brigham City Council reviews fleet fund shortfalls, considers modest tax change to cover vehicle replacement costs

Brigham City Council members spent the May 22 work session examining the city—s internal fleet fund and proposals in the mayor—s draft budget to address rising vehicle and equipment costs.

Tom Cotter, a city staff member who presented the fleet overview, told the council the fleet fund operates as an internal service fund that buys vehicles and charges departments lease payments over each asset—s useful life. "We feel that it does save taxpayer money," Cotter said, summarizing the longstanding rationale for in‑house fleet services.

Cotter and fleet staff said two dynamics are driving higher costs: persistent increases in motor‑vehicle prices and large, recent spikes in the price of heavy equipment and replacement parts. Cotter used several examples: an upfitted F‑150 for police that the city estimates will cost about $80,000 (roughly $55,000 for the base vehicle plus about $25,000 in upfitting); an ambulance recently replaced at about $385,000 after the city received an insurance settlement several thousand dollars below the original purchase price; and older garbage and public‑works vehicles that now cost substantially more to replace than in prior years.…