GEORGETOWN, DC - In the wake of last year's $8.9 million budget shortfall, officials are now looking toward the Sussex County, Del., government vehicles to come up with cost-cutting measures, reports Delmarva Now.

The aim, according to Hal Godwin, the county's deputy administrator, is not to sell county vehicles, but find ways to curb maintenance costs without impacting public services.

The County spends more than $1 million per year to maintain and fuel its fleet of nearly 250 cars, trucks, and trailers, Godwin said.

By outsourcing routine maintenance costs — such as tire rotations and oil changes — he said the County spends roughly $25,000 per year. If officials spent $16,000 in the coming months on equipment, Godwin said much of that work could be done in-house.

"There's some significant cost cutting we can do with some minor changes to how we operate," he said. "We could see a drop in expenses without having to lose any of these services."

The proposal also comes as officials are attempting to avoid reductions in emergency response efforts.

Bob Stuart, director of Sussex County Emergency Medical Services, said his department has seen a greater demand for services while seeing reductions in state funding. If cuts must be made in his department, it would mean slower ambulance response times.

County Council President Vance Phillips said the council plans to consider the proposed changes in the coming weeks, according to Delmarva Now.