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Clare County approves early payoff of patrol car lease and a new six-unit lease starting 2025
Summary
The board approved using an insurance payout to pay off the current patrol car lease early, authorized an additional appropriation to complete the payoff, and approved a new six-unit lease to stagger vehicle replacement beginning October 2025.
Clare County commissioners voted to use an approximately $61,959 insurance payout and an additional appropriation (roughly $34,000 as presented) to fully pay off the county’s current 2023 patrol-car lease and to begin a new staggered lease for six patrol units.
The county reported that four patrol vehicles were totaled in the past 12 months and that insurance proceeds and a supplemental payment would allow the current lease to be settled early. Staff proposed a new lease for six vehicles (four Dodge Chargers and two Chevy Silverado pursuit trucks) with an annual cost estimated at $99,879.40; the county intends to budget roughly $200,000 per year for patrol units going forward.
Board action: The motion to apply the insurance payout toward the early payoff and to authorize additional funds to cover the remainder passed by roll-call vote. Commissioners then approved the new unit lease starting in October 2025.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the decision was driven by the scarcity of police pursuit vehicles and the need to keep a staggered replacement schedule to maintain operational capacity. Staff noted proceeds from scrapping totaled and offset replacement costs and that new leases were being timed to align with fiscal-year budgeting.
What’s next: The county administrator and finance staff will finalize the payoff and execute the new lease documents according to procurement policies.
