Douglas County officials discuss multi-year leases to replace sheriff's vehicle and office computers

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office asked the Board of Commissioners on March 16 to authorize two five‑year leases to replace aging in‑car and back‑end computer systems and to refresh desktops and laptops for sheriff’s operations.

Chief Deputy Connor told the board the previous lease had run its course and that about 50 patrol vehicles and backend systems must be updated because the vendor has stopped supporting the old equipment. "We don't anticipate it being $250,000 a year," he said, adding that staff had modeled higher estimates because market prices and short quote windows make exact pricing uncertain.

Procurement staff told commissioners the current modeled lease estimate is about $238,000 per year based on the vendors and state contracts they have engaged. Finance and administration staff clarified that the county’s budget included $1.4 million split between two sheriff budgets, of which roughly $1 million is nonrecurring and about $400,000 is recurring; recurring portions would need to be budgeted in future years.

In a separate item, the sheriff’s office requested a five‑year lease (estimated $137,028.78 per year) to refresh desktops and laptops that the chief deputy said were six years old. The equipment would support storage and processing of video evidence and modern software needs.

Commissioners questioned whether the recurring costs could be absorbed without increases and whether the county has room in future budgets. Chief Deputy Connor said the first‑year payment is funded in this year's pack and that recurring costs would be worked into subsequent general fund budget cycles.

What happens next: The items were presented at the work session for board consideration and to secure signatures pending final legal review; the transcript records discussion and budget clarifications but does not record a final formal adoption vote for these specific contracts during the work session.