Vehicle Replacement Advisory Board
Meeting Minutes
5/5/2014
City Hall, Mayor’s Office
8:30am
Meeting Attendance: Mayor Elinor Carbone, Tim Waldron, Pennie Zucco, Alice Proulx, Emil Castro, Bob Conforti, Bill Lamoin, Glenn Royals
Meeting called to order at 8:33am
The committee discussed the vehicle replacement plan and the suggested updates to it. It was noted that the old plan was dated, and needed to be reviewed for any necessary changes.
Comptroller Alice Proulx and Fleet Manager Emil Castro said that one new addition to the plan would be an annual review with department heads to discuss their vehicles in the fleet and review the actual need for replacing them. Alice noted that this is a 16 year plan and that she tried to ensure that the plan had little fluctuations over those years.
Emil said he reviewed the life expectancy of some vehicles in the entire fleet, and that some could potentially go beyond their prescribed years of service, however he noted that he must take into account the amount he could get for a vehicle for trade in.
A motion was made by Bob Conforti to approve the plan as presented and forward it to City Council for their approval. The motion was seconded by Bill Lamoin and passed with all in favor.
The committee then discussed possible efficiencies that could be found that would allow Emil to better take advantage of good deals when he finds them. Currently, new vehicles must first be bid, then approved by their respective boards (Board of Public Safety, City Council, and Board of Finance). The committee discussed giving Emil the authority to be over budget by a certain percentage, contingent upon approval of the Mayor and the Vehicle Replacement Advisory Board.
Emil Castro said he would like to see ways in which the city can get more bids on the Requests for Proposal for vehicles. Currently, some vendors will not bid as a result of the local bidder ordinance, though local vendors are often higher priced than vendors from around the state.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Tim Waldron
| 
