Council adopted a fleet management policy in order to develop guidelines for replacement of Wellington North’s vehicles at the Oct. 17 meeting.
During the 2016 budget proceedings, councillors raised concerns with the number of vehicles and equipment that were listed and directed staff to “leave capital costs for fleet in the budget but that no fleet purchases be make until the Fleet Management Advisory committee makes recommendations of fleet management practices.”
An ad hoc committee including councillor Sherry Burke and a number of staff developed a fleet management policy.
In a report to council CAO Mike Givens explained the goal of the committee was to assure taxpayers that decisions regarding the township fleet are not taken lightly.
The policy covers topics of vehicle eligibility, conditions for using a township vehicle, replacement of vehicles, fuel and maintenance, insurance, accidents and damage, disposal, licensing, reassignment and short-term rentals.
The policy states the township will consider fuel-efficient, alternative-fuel and hybrid vehicles whenever possible.
Township vehicles will be replaced based on the following criteria:
– the vehicle odometer reading is approaching 180,000km (Emergency Response Vehicles hour meter x factor of 60 = equivalent kilometres);
– the vehicle hours are approaching 10,000 hours for rural plow trucks, 8,000 hours for urban plow trucks, 4,000 hours for lawnmowers, tractors and other small vehicles;
– the vehicle is fully amortized as per the estimated useful life;
– the vehicle becomes unserviceable or unsafe due to a major accident or mechanical failure that would not be economical to repair;
– the required Capital Project Justification Sheet has been completed, which must address why a particular type/style of vehicle is needed to best serve the needs of the township; and
– vehicle purchase has been approved in the township budget.
Givens thanks council and staff for their efforts.
“I think council all agrees that staff aren’t just coming forward saying ‘we need a new this, we need a new that,’ there’s a lot of background that’s related to this,” he said.
Council also approved purchase of six of nine vehicles budgeted in early 2016 at $567,500.
The emergency response ¾ ton pickup was deferred and the minivan and excavator will be brought to council before purchase.
