Jan 24, 2025 2 min read

Washington County’s fleet of vehicles now stands at 48 with the addition of two new Ford Explorers in December, according to an article in the Jan. 17 Observer-Reporter. The cars are being leased, the details of which must have administered a shock to anyone who has ever leased an automobile.

The county is paying $853 per month per SUV, bringing the total cost to $102,415 at the end of the five-year lease. You would think for that high a payment that these must be luxurious cars, but they’re not. A local dealer lists the price of the same model and trim level as the county’s new SUV at $41,550. The posted lease payment for that vehicle – for four years and 12,000 miles a year – is $537, plus tax.

So, why is the county paying nearly $300 more per month per vehicle to lease these cars? Buying the cars outright would have been less expensive, and the county would have equity in the cars after five years. At the end of a lease, you have nothing.

“The commissioners, they need to be busy and out promoting the county,” said chief of staff Daryl Price, who arranged the deal with BBL Fleet of Bridgeville – a deal commissioner Larry Maggi apparently didn’t know about until the vehicles were delivered. The O-R also reported that commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis were issued credit cards to pay for gasoline for the vehicles, which may be driven by other county officials.

How did the county end up with such a lousy lease arrangement? One has to wonder how much we taxpayers are forking out for the other 46 vehicles in the fleet.

Parker Burroughs

South Franklin