West Liberty is getting a new vehicle for city business.
After considerable discussion at the Tuesday, Sept. 5 council meeting, the city council approved the purchase of a 2023 Chevy Traverse from Wiele Chevrolet for $45,569.77. Wiele offered a $4,000 trade-in for the city’s 2014 Chevy Captiva, which brought the total price of the vehicle below the state bid of $48,500.
City manager Lee Geertz explained that Chevy no longer manufactures the Captiva, and the city-owned vehicle had maxed out its depreciation value. She explained that staff had also reported feeling uncomfortable driving the Captiva, as it was low to the ground and did not handle well.
“They’re more concerned with having a little heavier-duty vehicle for long distance traveling,” she said, adding that the level of complaints were such that she is typically one of the only employees who travels with the Captiva.
“If you drove that car, you would understand,” said council member Omar Martinez, who recently drove the car to Des Moines.
As the Traverse is a larger vehicle and can seat up to seven, Geertz explained that it would be easier to transport groups of city employees. Currently, employees occasionally have to use their personal vehicles, which results in the city having to pay out mileage reimbursements. Mayor Ethan Anderson said he had asked city clerk Shari Hoffert to calculate what the city had paid out in mileage over the last 12 months, and she reported the total to be “just shy of $5,000.”
Geertz said she had not necessarily been looking for the city to purchase a brand-new vehicle, but the inventory for used vehicles is very slim at this time. She credited Wiele with working with the city to come in under the state price, and said the trade in of $4,000 for the Captiva was good, given the age of the vehicle.
Council member Ashley Smith asked for more information about the use of the Captiva, including how often it was used, and mileage per gallon. “I feel like there’s a lot of details that I don’t know … I feel like there’s a lot of mathematics that we don’t have information for.”
“I respect that,” said Geertz, explaining the depreciation and longevity of the city’s vehicles. “We have held out as long as we possibly can, but unfortunately the market’s not going to get … we’re not going to be in a better position.
“Looking at the opportunity, looking at the cost, looking at the years, that we’re at a depreciated value, this isn’t uncommon what cities would ask to do if you get to that point.
“We can hold out if we need to, but it’s not going to cost us anything less, it’s going to continue to go up.”
“It’s going to be a need here,” said mayor Anderson. “So the council’s choice is to do it now, or budget for it next year.”
Anderson, after admitting he is “frugal when it comes to cars,” asked if purchasing the Traverse would bring the city’s mileage reimbursement “down to zero.”
Geertz said that there still might be situations where more than one staff member was traveling at a time, but said, “It should come down quite considerably.”