The Salem City Council has agreed to proceed with a lease and maintenance agreement with Enterprise Fleet Services.
City Manager Rex Barbee says signing an agreement lets the city proceed on how they want to utilize the program.
“They are going to stay in contact with us and say the market is really hot for this type of vehicle so if you want to trade it in you can get above market value on the trade-in and then buy a new vehicle and have a newer one with lower mileage and be money ahead.”
Barbee says the goal is to have lower mileage vehicles on the street with frequent trade-ins.
Finance Director Keli Roth says while it is still too soon to say for sure, she hoping to also see possible savings on the purchase and maintenance of vehicles of just over $100,000 for an eight-year period.
The city will pay nothing until the ordered vehicles arrive which in current times could take up to a year.
The city council agreed to make emergency repairs to the Salem Aquatic Center. Copper water pipes that accidentally had water left in them during the closing of the pool broke over winter. The city will pay $15,500 to replace the pipes with PVC pipe city crews can work on themselves. Public Works Director Annette Sola said it is unclear how the valves were left closed, but will investigate a contract where the entire closure would be done by an outside contractor who would then be responsible for any damage issues.
Mayor Nic Farley commended the entire city staff for their work on the tornado recovery.
