Lacey re-orders electric trucks at a higher price

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Lacey re-ordered two electronic Ford F-150 Lightning trucks for a higher price than what was initially planned, according to Troy Woo, the city’s finance director.

The city had ordered two trucks for $43,692 each from state-approved vendors back in February. The trucks were to be used as pool vehicles for general use and for public works inspections.

Woo said that the vendors canceled the orders on August 22, so the city re-ordered the 2023 model of the truck at a new price of $52,433.

Assistant city manager Shannon Kelley-Fong said to The JOLT that the city expects to spend $55,000 due to additional expenses such as city badging, light bars, and lightboxes, which would have also been needed for the previous order.

The new purchase order is part of the amendments to the 2022 budget, which Woo presented to the city’s finance committee on August 23.

The finance committee had anticipated this issue due to global supply chain issues. Documents prepared for the meeting stated that there have been significant impacts on the replacement of the city’s vehicles and large equipment. Some orders have been delayed while others are being canceled.

Fong explained that the city purchases its vehicles through a state-wide master contract.

“For this process, the city puts in its vehicle requests through the state, and then state-approved vendors fulfill the requests,” Fong stated in an email inquiry.

“No state-approved vendors could fulfill the city’s request for the Ford Lightning trucks, likely due to extremely high demand,” Fong added.

Fong clarified that the city is not obligated to purchase vehicles through a state master contract. “However, it expedites the acquisition process and streamlines financial accounting,” Fong said.

To prepare for the higher costs of re-orders, the committee recommended a 20% increase to the city’s fleet fund, amounting to $159,078.

“By amending the budget, the integrity of the budget is maintained, and the amendment gives the supplier the assurance the budget includes adequate appropriations for the purchase,” documents prepared for the meeting stated.

“We want to maintain maximum flexibility in our budget to be able to deal with those shortfalls,” Woo added during the meeting.

Woo reported that they expect the orders to close on August 31, with delivery scheduled for 2023.

Purchasing the electric trucks is part of Lacey’s plans to transition into an electric fleet. Woo said they had identified 15 combustion engine vehicles that they want to replace with electric counterparts. Seven of these vehicles are additional electric Ford F-150 trucks which will be ordered in 2023.

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  • bobkat

    [quote] ".... the vendors canceled the orders on August 22, so the city re-ordered the 2023 model of the truck at a new price of $52,433." [unquote]

    So...., the city is going to spend $7K+ more to get the same trucks they had already committed to previously!!?? Are these "orders" not legally enforceable contracts??? Why is that?

    Did the Lacey procurement officer take a short ride over to East-side Olympia and speak directly to the Ford dealership over there? As a taxpayer I sure shop around for the best deal when I'm buying a big ticket item. Or..., maybe Lacey doesn't consider A $50K+ expenditure a "big ticket" item. i

    Monday, August 29, 2022 Report this

  • Claire

    This is complete folly and absolute malfeasance from Lacey CC. Buying EV trucks, btw, are nothing but Virtue Signalling, searching for votes next election. I call Bull****.

    Monday, August 29, 2022 Report this

  • Southsoundguy

    Waste, fraud, and abuse.

    Monday, August 29, 2022 Report this

  • Madeline_Bishop

    Thank you Lacey for being pro-active in the fight against environmental disaster. Also, fossil fuel vehicles are on the way out. Everyone will eventually have to make the switch.

    Tuesday, August 30, 2022 Report this

  • JamesBishop

    Can you imagine how many Tax Dollars and Vaseline it will require to make the change from liquid fuel to electric vehicles. Saw a brief squirt of news showing cost difference purchase prices, liquid fuel vehicle at $40,000 and electric vehicle at $60,000. Your savings are lost upon purchase.

    Wednesday, August 31, 2022 Report this