County unlikely to buy many new vehicles in 2015

Grady County commissioners are in the process of reviewing budget requests from constitutional officers and county department heads, but a new policy recommended by County Administrator Carlos Tobar could put the brakes on the purchase of new vehicles.
Tobar recently proposed a vehicle policy to commissioners that would limit vehicle replacement for nonlaw enforcement vehicles to 10 years old and 200,000 miles and original engine and transmission. Nonlaw enforcement vehicles that meet that criteria would be eligible for replacement, according to Tobar.
The county administrator wants to replace law enforcement vehicles only when they have logged 200,000 miles and have the original engine and transmission.
Vehicles that have either a new engine or a rebuilt transmission would have three years life extended to the total life of the vehicle under Tobar’s recommended policy.
“The lone exception is if we have a lemon,” Tobar said.
The consensus of the county commission is to implement this new standard effective with the 2015 operating budget.
The county administrator said Sheriff Harry Young requested three new patrol vehicles in his budget request, but none of the vehicles to be replaced meets the recommended thresholds. The one vehicle included in the Detention Center budget does meet the new standards and Tobar said would be included in the proposed budget.
University of Georgia Extension Service County Coordinator Deron Rehberg is requesting a new super duty pickup truck to replace a 2007 model Ford, but Tobar said that vehicle also does not meet the new standards. Rehberg is projecting the existing truck will have 143,000 miles on it by the end of 2014.
Tobar said his recommended policy is similar to one that was used by a California city where he previously served.