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York County commissioners debate buying a county vehicle for assessor amid shared use with veteran services
Summary
York County Assessor Kurt requested a county-owned vehicle, citing more than 300 open property permits and scheduling conflicts with the Veteran Service Office’s use of the current shared car; commissioners asked for more utilization data and deferred final action to a future meeting.
York County Assessor Kurt asked the board to approve purchasing a county vehicle to help his office complete inspections and permit follow-ups, saying the office currently has “over 300 open permits” and 39 commercial permits that need on-site follow-up. He told commissioners he had requested the vehicle during the budget process and had proposed using either ARPA funds or inheritance-tax funds, but said much of the ARPA allocation already appears designated.
Kurt described operational strain caused by a shared-equipment arrangement with the Veteran Service Office (VSO). He said the VSO’s trips to Omaha and Lincoln for veteran appointments often take priority and leave the assessor’s office unsure when the shared Equinox will be available for inspections, which complicates scheduling field work. “It’s getting hard for us to get some of our work done in our office,” Kurt said, arguing a dedicated or separately scheduled vehicle would improve efficiency and inspections completion.
Board members pressed for data before committing funds. Commissioners noted the current log showed roughly 22,000 miles on the shared vehicle since Jan. 1, with usage split between the VSO and assessor’s office. One board member said an assessor’s annual mileage might be about 8,000 miles and questioned whether the county should buy a second vehicle that could sit idle much of the time. Another member said the county should consider improved scheduling, volunteer driver mileage reimbursement, and indoor parking to extend a vehicle’s lifespan before approving a purchase.
Kurt said he had explored the state procurement (state bid) process with county procurement staff and that comparable vehicles were available under state contract, which he said could save taxpayer dollars compared with soliciting multiple local bids. He also handed out a usage log and a survey of other counties’ assessor vehicles to show common practice among counties of similar size.
The board did not vote on the request. Commissioners asked Kurt for additional information on log details, volunteer mileage reimbursements and parking/storage options and said the vehicle purchase would be returned for action at a future meeting.
The record shows the board recessed to convene the Board of Equalization during the discussion and later reconvened to continue the operational exchange; no formal motion to purchase was recorded in the transcript.
