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Vermillion County Council approves $650,000 for highway trucks; resolution moves funds to consolidate purchases
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Summary
The Vermillion County Council on April 13 approved an additional appropriation of $650,000 for highway trucks and later adopted Resolution 2026-05 to transfer funds so all new trucks can be purchased from the same account. Council members cited aging equipment and steep replacement costs.
The Vermillion County Council voted April 13 to approve an additional appropriation of $650,000 to the Highway Capital Improvement Fund to replace aging highway trucks, and later approved Resolution 2026-05 to transfer existing and economic development dollars so the purchases can be handled from a single fund.
Council members and highway staff described a fleet with tandems dating to the 1990s and repeated, costly failures. “The dump trucks are, they’re $300,000 a piece,” an agency official said, noting that a fully equipped truck includes a dump bed, hydraulic system, snow plow and spreader box. Council discussion stressed that modern heavy equipment has grown more expensive and complex since 2019.
Chair and finance staff recommended using a combination of an already-appropriated $150,000 and a transfer from the county’s economic development fund to reach a $800,000 pool that would cover three trucks. The chair described the economic development fund as originating from the same local income tax and said it had a healthy balance after limited recent spending. A council member moved the $650,000 additional appropriation from the Highway Capital Improvement Fund (fund 48.99) and the motion was seconded and approved.
Councilors also discussed options to reduce lifecycle costs, including selling older trucks on GovDeals and improving preventive maintenance. One councilor urged consideration of an in-house mechanic to lower repeated repair bills: “Maybe instead of having a driver, maybe that individual has maybe a degree in diesel mechanics,” the councilor said, urging study of staffing and facility capacity to perform routine repairs.
At the meeting’s end the council read and approved Resolution 2026-05, which transfers the $150,000 appropriated in certified shares into the Highway Capital Improvement Fund and directs $650,000 from the economic development fund into the same fund so the new vehicles can be purchased from a single account.
Next steps: the county will execute the fund transfers and proceed with procurement and purchase planning; council members discussed staggered purchase options and budgeting a truck a year to reduce future spikes in replacement costs.
