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DPW proposes leasing and rental approach for vehicles; roll-off combo priced at $293,005.50
Summary
DPW staff told the CIP committee it plans to shift from pay-as-you-go purchases to lease-purchase and rental frameworks to accelerate replacement and reduce maintenance costs; a roll-off tractor/trailer combo purchase was listed at about $293,005.50 while rental arrangements for solid-waste trucks were presented as an alternative to owning.
Adam Jacobs (DPW) presented the department’s plan to change how the town acquires vehicles and heavy equipment, proposing a mix of lease-purchase for some assets and rental frameworks for others to accelerate refresh cycles and reduce maintenance downtime.
"As recently as, Monday night, with the select board ... DPW is going to be moving, hopefully, starting next year into a more of a financing lease purchase model where we can hopefully accelerate some of the equipment, replacements," Jacobs said, arguing the approach would lower maintenance hits and keep equipment under warranty more often. For curbside solid-waste trucks he proposed moving from four trucks to three by using two full-year rentals and an hourly backup.
Jacobs listed a combined Freightliner tractor-and-roll-off trailer purchase price of approximately $293,005.50 for the unit the department hopes to consolidate into a single asset. He and committee members discussed trade-offs, including the risk that leased/rental payments become subject to annual budget choices and the possibility of creating a capital-reserve or special revenue fund fed by proceeds from outgoing surplus vehicle sales to smooth early rental payments.
Committee members expressed both support and skepticism: some noted rental can cost as much as ownership long term, while others pointed to lower downtime and maintenance costs as advantages. The CIP noted the vehicle requests in the matrix and will forward them to the select board and budget committee for funding decisions.
