Dorchester County Council authorizes staff to put 27 vehicles in leasing pipeline to address aging sheriff's fleet

The Dorchester County Council on Jan. 5 authorized staff to place up to 27 vehicles into the county’s fleet lease pipeline, after hearing that long lead times and a shrinking allocation of pursuit vehicles could leave the sheriff’s office short of safe, mission-ready patrol cars.

The council’s action, approved by voice vote with four in favor and one opposed, directs county staff to work with Sheriff James Phillips and Enterprise Fleet Management to lock in vehicle orders and incorporate the initial costs into the FY27 capital budget.

Why it matters: County staff and Enterprise told the council the sheriff’s current fleet is older than recommended and that maintenance costs have risen sharply, increasing safety and recruitment risks. Bailey Elliott of Enterprise said the county’s fleet averages about 12.5 years old while a five-year cycle is recommended; she also said maintenance spending has climbed roughly 38% year-over-year and that many vehicles exceed 100,000 miles. "If we continue to hold vehicles this long, they're going to cost you a significant amount more money," Elliott said during the presentation.

What the council heard: County manager Mr. Jones told the council the meeting was urgent because Enterprise’s available allocation of pursuit vehicles is limited and could be exhausted before the next regular meeting. Jones said the sheriff had requested 10 fully equipped vehicles as a capital ask for FY27 (about $1.2 million), but that a broader, coordinated leasing approach is being presented to restore the fleet’s cycle and reduce long-term costs.

Enterprise’s proposal and costs: Elliott described the vendor’s open-ended equity lease model and used conservative assumptions for discussion: a $33,000 typical upfit per Tahoe PPV, a required 50% upfront equipment contribution ($16,500) paid on the first invoice after delivery, and an estimated first-year lease payment of about $17,747.52 per equipped vehicle. Using those worst-case assumptions for 27 vehicles that Enterprise identified as replacements, Elliott estimated the combined first-year upfront and lease costs at roughly $925,000 for FY27, while noting that fuel and maintenance savings were not included in that figure.

Allocation and timing constraints: Elliott said Enterprise (working with manufacturers such as General Motors) had approximately 26 Tahoe pursuit vehicles left in the current allocation pool and that lead times can push delivery into late summer or early fall. "Once a vehicle is scheduled for production, you are locked in to that vehicle," she warned, underscoring the meeting’s urgency.

Funding and trade-offs: Councilors questioned where money for the catch-up year would come from and raised a direct trade-off with planned salary increases. Sheriff Phillips said his two priorities are relieving the aging-vehicle problem and addressing deputy pay: "If we don't do something drastic for the salary of the law enforcement officer... you're not gonna have a sheriff's office," he said, adding that recruitment pressures leave open vacancies. Staff noted the county could smooth future costs by choosing fewer vehicles in FY27, by paying equipment vendors directly to reduce monthly lease amounts, or by pursuing available grants; Elliott identified a Maryland Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office grant that opened for applications on 01/05/2026 and could reimburse upfit expenses for eligible applicants.

The vote and next steps: Councilman (speaker label S10) moved to authorize staff to acquire 27 vehicles; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote (4–1). Council staff were instructed to confirm the specific mix of Tahoes and pickups with the sheriff, finalize order timing with Enterprise, and incorporate the authorized pipeline into the FY27 capital budgeting process.

What remains unresolved: The council did not lock in the exact vehicle mix (Tahoes vs. pickups) or the final funding source mix; one councilor registered opposition citing uncertainty about state revenues and budget pressures. Staff pledged to return with refined cost projections and to model alternatives for smaller initial purchase counts and their multi-year budget impact.

Action summary: The council authorized staff to place up to 27 vehicles into the procurement/lease pipeline for Dorchester County in FY27 and directed staff to coordinate orders with the sheriff and Enterprise and to finalize budget treatment.