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Sheriff urges shorter vehicle leases as county reviews maintenance costs
Summary
Sheriff Gough and sheriff’s office staff told commissioners that maintenance expenses and split budget lines are creating bookkeeping and operational problems, and the sheriff recommended switching from five-year to three-year vehicle leases to address lifecycle and operational concerns.
Sheriff Gough and Shelly Bates told the Gooding County Board of Commissioners during the March 30 meeting that vehicle maintenance charges are being split across different budget lines and that lease terms deserve review.
Shelly Bates said some maintenance on county vehicles has been charged to the Sheriff’s budget while other work has been handled separately. The sheriff’s office noted that lease-vehicle maintenance is handled outside Karl’s responsibilities and that brake work is treated differently. "A five-year lease is too long and would like three-year leases instead," the sheriff said, arguing shorter terms better match patrol vehicle needs and replacement cycles.
Commissioner Bolduc acknowledged that adjustments could be made in next year’s budget and raised a separate operational concern that vehicles were sometimes left running for long periods. Sheriff Gough explained officers may have to leave vehicles running to download body- or dash-camera video when they return from calls and to maintain temperature for a K-9, providing the operational context for the practice.
The topic was also connected to a presentation by Bobbie Wylie of Enterprise Fleet Management, who provided a 10-year profile and analysis of county vehicles and options for upcoming budgets. Commissioners said they would continue discussions during budget planning and consider the fleet-management options presented.
