Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees approve fleet purchase plan after tie on trade‑in; debate centers on cost, use and CDL needs
Summary
The board debated a multi‑year public‑facilities fleet plan and a Switch‑and‑Go purchase. Trustees tied on a motion to sell a 3,500 pickup; after discussion they approved a funding plan to purchase specified vehicles (including an F600 and the switch ecosystem) and to sell or trade certain units, while preserving options on trades and trade‑in timing.
Public works staff presented a multi‑year fleet replacement plan to the Village of Cross Plains board on March 23 that recommends new equipment purchases and a Switch‑and‑Go system to reduce labor hours for attachments and seasonal changeovers.
Staff detailed labor and cost savings: changing attachments under the current system requires about three employees and two hours per swap; with a Switch‑and‑Go system the work would be one employee taking about 15 minutes. The presentation included a replacement schedule, depreciation notes (Johnson Block depreciation schedule referenced) and vendor quotes based on state contract pricing.
Trustees asked whether refurbished or used equipment had been explored (example given earlier of a used leaf vacuum purchased for $17,000). Staff said resale value, operational reliability in peak periods and long‑term maintenance favored new equipment in some cases. A substantive exchange focused on a 2024 Ram 3500 (the 3,500) — whether to trade or sell it — and whether parks/maintenance needs could be met by reassigning existing vehicles. A motion to sell the 3,500 failed on a tie vote, leaving it in place.
The board then approved a funding plan to purchase an F600, adopt the Switch ecosystem and apply remaining Freightliner budget toward the purchases, with the explicit option to sell or trade identified vehicles as part of a funding plan. Roll calls recorded trustee positions on the funding plan. Trustees directed staff to include any optional fleet adjustments in future budget work and to refine the plan and trade‑in values before final disposition of older units.
