As we enter the 2027 budget cycle season , we wanted to provide a glimpse of one of the most important services we maintain for you the taxpayer. When you see a police car driving through your neighborhood, a fire truck responding to an emergency, or a Public Works crew working in your area, you probably don't think much about what keeps those vehicles running day after day. But behind every one of them is a team whose job is to make sure your investment lasts as long as possible. Homewood's Fleet Maintenance Division doesn't just repair broken vehicles. Their focus is making smart decisions that keep hundreds of pieces of equipment safe, reliable and in service for years while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. "We look at it differently now, especially in today’s economic environment," said Fleet Director Blake Graves. "With the rising cost of everything, we look at where we can save money and still make the necessary repairs. We don't cut corners. Safety is always our number one priority." The fleet team maintains police vehicles, fire trucks, administrative vehicles, standby generators for critical city buildings, tractors, mowers, heavy equipment, roll off trucks and more. They even help fabricate equipment, repair gates and assist other departments whenever a need arises. Homewood is implementing a long term fleet replacement strategy that helps determine when vehicles should be repaired, when they should remain in service and when replacing them provides the best value. A patrol car, for example, experiences far more wear than others. Many operate ten hour shifts, and accelerate or brake drastically, and repeatedly, throughout the day. Fire trucks typically serve on the front line for ten years before moving into reserve service for another decade or more. Maintaining this wide variety of life expectancy is very challenging as parts, fuel and equipment costs continue to rise, stretching every dollar while ensuring police officers, firefighters and city employees are safe and have dependable equipment when they need it most. Homewood's fleet maintenance staff brings decades of combined experience, with expertise ranging from antique vehicles and heavy equipment to fire trucks, tractors, boats and small engines. Just as importantly, experienced technicians invest in training the next generation, passing along knowledge to the younger techs. It's a culture built on craftsmanship and a commitment to doing the job right. For Blake, the best part of the job is the people we have working in our City. "Not just in our shop, but in all the departments,” he said. “When something happens, everybody comes together. We respect each other's jobs, we help each other out to reach a common goal.” That spirit of teamwork provides residents with the high level of professionalism and service they expect every day.