Columbus County OKs order for 10 patrol vehicles, delivery and billing deferred until next fiscal year

The Columbus County Board of Commissioners voted to allow the sheriff’s office to order 10 patrol vehicles on the condition that delivery and billing occur after July 1, moving the expenditure into the next fiscal year.

County officials said the sheriff’s vehicle fleet is aging and maintenance costs have exceeded the sheriff’s maintenance budget this fiscal year. Sheriff’s Office representatives and county staff described large maintenance bills, leased-vehicle warranty limits and fleet planning as the drivers behind the request.

Sheriff’s Office representatives said some patrol vehicles have exceeded warranty mileage limits and are costing thousands of dollars to repair. One vehicle currently in for repairs was estimated to require about $6,000 in work. The sheriff’s representative said the office had already moved money internally and submitted budget amendments twice to cover maintenance overruns, and that total maintenance spending to date on the fleet is in the mid-six-figure range.

County finance staff and the county manager cautioned against appropriating fund balance in the current fiscal year. Finance staff pointed to audit and budget constraints and noted obligations and restrictions identified in the county audit and by GASB standards. The county manager and several commissioners said deferring delivery until after July 1 would preserve this year’s fund balance while allowing the sheriff’s office to preorder vehicles if necessary because of availability concerns.

Commissioners and the sheriff’s office also debated whether to continue leasing vehicles or to buy them outright. The sheriff’s representative argued purchasing would reduce long-term costs and increase warranty coverage for newer vehicles; county staff replied that financing or purchasing still requires budgeting for the full purchase amount and that financing can have similar near‑term budgetary impacts.

After discussion about how many vehicles would be immediately necessary, the board approved a motion to allow the sheriff’s office to place an order for 10 vehicles with the stipulation that acceptance of delivery and billing occur on or after July 1 so the purchase charges fall in the next fiscal year. The motion was seconded and passed by the board.

The board recorded that roughly 43 vehicles currently under lease will come off lease next fiscal year, a change that will materially affect the sheriff’s office vehicle budget going forward. County staff said that when leases end the vehicles become county property and will affect future maintenance and replacement planning.

The county manager and finance staff said they would work with the sheriff’s office on purchase timing, potential trade-ins or other ways to mitigate costs. Commissioners urged the sheriff’s office to prioritize the most critical vehicle replacements and to explore options such as sharing vehicles among assignments to reduce wear until more replacements can be funded.

The board’s action authorized the ordering of 10 patrol vehicles with delivery and invoicing scheduled for the new fiscal year; the sheriff’s office remains responsible for final procurement steps, and the board directed staff to continue budget planning ahead of next year’s appropriations.