Mount Holly council approves lease-purchase plan for fire department support vehicles

The Mount Holly City Council on May 11 approved a plan to use Enterprise Fleet Managements purchase-lease model to replace aging support and command vehicles for the fire department.

Craig Spry, who presented the proposal on behalf of the department, said the fleet includes vehicles with rising repair costs and that the lease model would create a predictable replacement schedule. "F-250 we've been quoted for approximately $60,000," Spry said. "Under the purchase lease model that they have, that would be about $1,100 a month or $13,000 a year." He told council the arrangement would avoid large one-time capital purchases and provide professional fleet guidance.

The proposal would apply only to smaller support vehicles, Spry said, not to engine companies. He described routine maintenance staying with the city garage and warranty or dealer work handled locally.

Councilmember Harris made the motion to approve and Ms. Shoemaker seconded. Council members voted in favor and the mayor declared the motion passed.

The council asked whether the city should consider a centralized fleet manager to oversee leasing decisions across departments; City Manager Blanton responded that staff would review that option. No cost or contract details beyond the example quote were finalized during the meeting; the lease program would be implemented through the annual budgeting process.

Council members and staff said the model is already used by nearby agencies and police departments that have reported success.