Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 CITY VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS
AND RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY
PATROL GRANT
Date: July 8, 2025
Written by: Angela Courter, Director of Administrative Services Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council by motion authorize the City Manager to approve the purchase of budgeted vehicles and to execute any necessary agreements to carry out the approved purchases, including up-fitting, not to exceed the authorized budget amount by fund, and to adopt a resolution authorizing the acceptance of grant funding from the California Highway Patrol to fund the education, prevention, and enforcement of laws related to driving under the influence (DUI).
Background
On June 10, 2025, the City Council adopted the first biennial budgets for Fiscal Years 2025/26 and 2026/27. Included in the budget is funding for programmed vehicle replacement. To meet the City Council’s climate change goals and objectives while simultaneously reducing operating costs, the City has prioritized the purchase of cleaner energy vehicles, if available, in any given vehicle category.
The Cotati Police Department continues to need to train newer officers in all areas of traffic safety. It is our goal to stay ahead of DUI statistics by increasing enforcement, increasing training for officers, and purchasing new equipment to assist them. However, these additional efforts add to the cost of City services. On June 24, 2025, the City received the Final Grant Agreement with the California Highway Partrol (CHP) awarding grant funding for the grant period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $142,556.76.
Analysis/Discussion
Vehicle Replacement:
To reduce maintenance costs, improve safety, and lower emissions, the City is continuing to cycle out older vehicles that are reaching the end of their service life. As the City purchases new vehicles, the vehicles and equipment at the end of their service lives are retired and sold per our fixed asset policy.
Vehicles are purchased under a pooled vehicle bid, which generally results in the best possible purchase price. Police vehicles and Public Works utility trucks arrive from the dealer without being “upfitted”. This primarily consists of adding light bars, radios, and other similar items specific to each agency, and therefore is not pre-installed. The upfit is part of the total cost of the car and is performed by a third-party installer. We are currently uncertain about possible delays in products or increased pricing due to threats or actual tariffs.
For Public Works, the 1998 Ford F800 Dump Truck continues to be on the vehicle replacement list as a critical vehicle for replacement. This vehicle is not allowed under California Air Resources Board Regulations to be operational as it was to be upgraded to a 2010 or more recent engine model year by January 1, 2020. The City sought to replace this vehicle in 2019 and again in 2020; however, the order was never filled due to its eventual unavailability. Staff have canceled that order and will be soliciting new quotes for a new model to be compliant with the air quality regulations.
California Highway Patrol Grant:
The Cotati Police Department has always been committed to traffic safety and DUI/DUDI Enforcement. Having a dedicated traffic unit and better trained officers has played a key role in that commitment. We have also committed to traffic safety by self-funding extra patrols and assisting other agencies with DUI Checkpoints. Utilizing grant funding to increase training and patrols is essential in assisting these efforts. City staff applied for and were awarded grant funding to purchase a combination of new equipment such as the SoToxa device, a dedicated Traffic Vehicle, and reimburse staffing time and travel costs related to enhanced training to assist us in these efforts.
The proposed expenditures under this grant include the following:
• DUI/DUID Vehicle Outfitting – $20,027.00 (upfitting of the 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle);
• SoToxa Drug Testing Devices – $11,170.00 (two devices and 50 testing cartridges); • Personnel Costs – $54,166.76 (including training and travel); • Traffic Unit Vehicle – $53,827.00 (purchase of a 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle);
Per the grant agreement and in line with the City’s Grant Policy, this grant must be formally accepted by the City Council before moving to the execution phase in order to accept and appropriate funds for the budget which will be reimbursed through this grant from the State of California. Upon acceptance, staff will set up the requisite accounts and document management for proper reporting and tracking.
Financial Considerations
The following table indicates the new vehicles to be purchased by the grant and vehicles planned for replacement. All the vehicles, except the new grant vehicle, were included within the adopted budget for 2025/26:
Description General
Fund
Water
Fund
Sewer
Fund
Grant
Fund Total
Police Department 
Police Vehicle - New $ 60,000 $ - $ - $
- 
$ 60,000
Police Vehicle -New - Upfit 21,400 - -
- 
21,400
Police K-9 Unit Conversion Upfit 8,000 - -
- 
8,000
Mach-E Conversion to Admin - Upfit 5,500 - -
- 
5,500
* Addition to Budget
2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility
Vehicle + Upfit
- - - 73,854 73,854
Public Works 
PW - F250 - Truck - Replace 1167565 38,340 30,830 30,830 - 
100,000
Water Trailer 4,601 3,700 3,700 -

12,000
1998 VERM BC1230A Replace 13' -
Wood Chipper
21,087 16,957 16,957 -

55,000
1987 DAEW G25S-2 -Forklift 5,751 4,625 4,625 -

15,000
1981 ZIEMEN - Trailer 11,502 9,249 9,249 -

30,000
Ford F800 - Dump Truck 1100135
(Carryforward)
57,510 46,245 46,245 -

150,000
Totals By Fund $176,181 $ 111,605 $111,605 $73,854 $530,754 With global supply costs changing and general inflationary pressures, and the higher purchase price of vehicles in general, the purchase of some vehicles may need to be delayed to stay within the budget. If budget issues arise, staff will determine which vehicles need replacement this year, and which can be safely and economically postponed to a future year. If authorized, vehicle purchases would stay within the indicated budgeted amounts in each fund, targeting the highest use and most polluting vehicles for battery electric vehicles.
The resolution provided for council approval will authorize the establishment of the proper accounts and correlating budget dollars for the grant revenues and expenses within the Grant Fund. There is no impact on City funds anticipated with this action.
Environmental Issues
The action of purchasing replacement vehicles does not constitute a project as defined by California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378; therefore, no further environmental review is required.