Ashland County committee reviews forestry vehicle leasing plan amid funding challenges

The Ashland County Finance and Economic Development Committee met on May 14, 2025, to discuss the potential leasing of a vehicle for the Forestry Department. This marks the county's first venture into vehicle leasing, a shift from their previous practice of owning and replacing vehicles outright.

Chris Hoffman, representing the Forestry Department, explained the need for a new vehicle, citing that the department has been operating with an aging truck that should have been replaced in 2022 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last vehicle purchases were made in 2020, and the department has since been struggling with the current vehicle's reliability.

Hoffman highlighted a significant challenge: the county had previously allocated $5,000 annually for vehicle replacement, but those funds were recently moved back to the general fund, leaving the Forestry Department without the necessary budget to initiate the leasing process. He requested access to those funds to facilitate the leasing of a new vehicle.

The committee discussed the specifics of the leasing proposal, considering the replacement of the oldest vehicle in the fleet. Members expressed support for leasing, noting that it could be more beneficial in the long term compared to maintaining older vehicles. The discussion included the potential trade-in of the oldest vehicle, which would be auctioned off, with proceeds partially funding the new lease.

Additionally, it was noted that there is $50,000 available in a forestry passbook account that could be utilized for the current year's payments, minimizing immediate budget impacts. The committee agreed that future payments should be structured as debt levy to preserve cash for other county activities.

The meeting concluded with a consensus on moving forward with the leasing process, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an efficient and reliable vehicle fleet for the Forestry Department's operations.