Brighton proposes $4M snowplow purchase, continues vehicle-lease pilot

City staff presented a two-part fleet strategy to the Brighton City Council on Oct. 14: continue a pilot leasing partnership with Enterprise Fleet Management for routine cars and trucks, and replace eight aging snowplow/equipment trucks through an eight-year lease-purchase.

Katrina Asher said the Enterprise pilot offers larger buying and reselling power, quicker access to vehicles and reduced internal administrative burden; the city acquired seven vehicles through the partnership in 2025 and will return with contract numbers for the next batch. On heavy equipment, staff proposed replacing eight snowplows (six purchased in 2017 plus two older units) with larger trucks more appropriate for city needs and financing the purchase via an eight-year lease-purchase through a banking partner. Asher said, "The total lease value to purchase, all of these snowplows would be just over $4,000,000" and estimated an annual cost around $650,000, noting an expected $500,000 in resale proceeds from old plows to partially offset payments.

Council questioned timing, interest-rate exposure and whether staggering replacements would be possible; staff said simultaneous replacement is driven by the fleet's synchronized age and that financing spreads the cost across years. Staff plans to bring a snowplow resolution to the next meeting and a later resolution for the Enterprise lease once contract details are finalized.