Pickens council votes unanimously to join Enterprise Fleet Management program

The Pickens Town Council voted unanimously on April 28 to enter an Enterprise Fleet Management program in principle, authorizing staff to pursue an umbrella agreement that will permit the town to lease and cycle mission-critical vehicles.

Enterprise representatives told council their 10-year model projects roughly $100,000 in hard-dollar savings over time by reducing maintenance and fuel costs and increasing resale value when vehicles are cycled on a five-year cadence. The initial proposal discussed replacing 10 police and public-works vehicles this year; the presenter said an example upfront cost for 10 Tahoes was about $58,000 and recurring lease payments would follow individual lease terms.

Police leaders urged the council to prioritize SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe for their idling‑hour durability, storage capacity and resale value. “When you put a cage in, you poke a lot of holes … The fewer holes that you poke the better do the better it is for resell,” a police speaker said in describing upfits and resale implications.

Councilmember (speaker 9) moved the motion to join the program in principle; the mayor said the vote by show of hands was unanimous. The vote approved joining the consulting/umbrella arrangement only; any specific vehicle orders, financing and upfit choices will be presented to council for final approval and budget appropriation.

Staff said the overarching agreement does not obligate the town to purchase any particular vehicle and that individual lease agreements (commonly five-year terms) will govern financing for each order. Staff will update budget drafts to reflect potential upfront and recurring lease costs for council consideration.