Committee approves transfer requests to buy trucks; members press administration on fleet management and fired fleet manager

The finance committee moved forward a request to transfer funds for advance purchase of heavy vehicles, citing long lead times for garbage trucks and plows and the administration's plan to replenish the capital reserve when bonds are later sold. Commissioner Jessica Brown identified a capital reserve and said the city budgeted for these purchases; she told the committee lead times were about nine months and that orders must be placed to have equipment in service by next winter.

Council members also questioned the administration about the termination of the previous fleet manager and whether that decision undermined a multi-year fleet-optimization plan. One council member said the hired fleet manager had "very good insights" and expressed concern the city had lost institutional knowledge. Deputy mayor Swanigan described a shift in responsibilities toward purchasing and frontline mechanical staff and said purchasing already maintains inventories and could handle procurement functions; he added the administration plans a five-year leased replacement approach in future budgets to rotate heavy vehicles.

The committee asked for a copy of any prior fleet-optimization plan and for clearer process documentation explaining how purchasing, DPW and other departments will coordinate replacement and maintenance. The transfer and related certificate of necessity were advanced for receipt and filing; follow-up on the optimization plan and implementation timetable was requested.