So says a new report outlining the fleet overhaul, which will be presented to the County Council today.

"It's realistic," Mayor Peter Corroon said Monday.

Scrapping rapid rotation for all but sheriff's and sanitation vehicles "will reduce our maintenance costs. It will reduce our capital expenditures. It's not the be-all, end-all, but will help guide the future of fleet."

The reforms are the second installment of a task force commissioned by the mayor's office after vehicle scandals rocked the county last year.

This past spring, county leaders vowed to reduce the size of the fleet, restrict take-home use for employees and add hybrids to counter escalating gas prices.

"It's something we can expand," said Corroon, referring to the six hybrids on order.

The new plan consolidates the county's seven existing fleet policies into one.

Quick-rotation policies will be altered so all light-duty vehicles such as sedans, pickups and SUVs will be swapped for new ones after seven years, instead of the current three. Dump trucks and other heavy-duty equipment also will be replaced every seven years.

Moving to a seven-year cycle for non-sheriff's and non-sanitation cars is projected to save more than $1 million a year. Holding on to the vehicles longer is not expected to increase maintenance costs significantly.

"It is not at all uncommon for vehicles to go seven to 10 years with literally no repairs," the report said.

Sheriff's cruisers will continue to be replaced annually, after the county's fiscal analysts found that program saves taxpayer cash.

The county launched the rapid-rotation plan in 1995. The idea essentially was to "buy wholesale, sell retail," according to the report, but it became "buy wholesale, sell wholesale" partly because of the costs involved preparing the vehicles for sale.

Brakes and tires were commonly replaced, though nearly 60 percent of the cars were sold with less than 20,000 miles.

It cost nearly $200 per vehicle to prepare them for sale, the report states.

By 1997, most of the used cars were sold to other government entities and large fleets and had to be discounted.

Another change will be the the creation of a Fleet Management Board, intended to serve as a "check and balance" to the activities of the fleet bosses.

djensen@sltrib.com

In other fleet-related business

Any employee who tampers with the county decal on their cars will be disciplined and possibly terminated, according to a new rule. Auditor Jim Wightman notes some workers used hair driers to heat up and remove the county logos so they could use the cars for personal use.

For the first time, the county will have a specific rule prohibiting the downloading of pornography on its computers. Chief Administrative Officer Doug Willmore says the restriction comes in the wake of recent fleet investigations.