Norman, OK City Council Approve Contract With Mercury Associates
City officials of Norman, OK have hired a consultant to help them study the most cost-effective way to manage and maintain the city's fleet of more than 850 vehicles.
Many of the vehicles are old and in need of replacement. Couple that with rising fuel costs, and you have a budgetary nightmare, according to Norman Public Works Director Shawn O'Leary. More vehicles are added to the fleet every year, but no new mechanics have been added in 10 years. "Frankly, we think we need some help. We can't keep going on this path," O'Leary said.
The annual cost of maintaining the fleet is about $5 million, he said, with costs increasing every year.
City council members approved a $53,580 contract with Mercury Associates Inc., of Overland Park, KS, to evaluate the fleet operation. The firm is charged with assessing the fleet division's overall effectiveness and coming up with management recommendations.
The city's fleet includes everything from police patrol cars to fire trucks, trash trucks, and backhoes. The average age of the vehicles is 9.9 years, but some are 30 to 35 years old, and others are brand-new.
About 70 vehicles need replacing because of age or condition. The budget does not allow for replacing them all at once. At times, O'Leary said, "we're one accident away from being able to pick up trash, and that's not a good situation to be in. We feel like we can use a fresh pair of eyes to look at our operation and look at how we can go into the future in a more cost-effective way."
Mercury Associates said an in-depth analysis will take about 16 weeks.