Stonington — As part of the town’s continuing effort to improve its long-range planning and avoid budget surprises, the town’s Public Works Department has developed a program that lays out the purchase and cost of highway department trucks and equipment over the next 20 years.

The Board of Selectmen received the report by Public Works Director Barbara McKrell and her staff at its meeting Wednesday night. It comes on the heels of a computerized plan by the department to chart future paving projects.

First Selectman Rob Simmons said management efforts such as these are essential with the uncertainty and cuts in state aid to towns.

“We need to make our budget more insulated from the vagaries of the state budget,” he said. “We’re challenging other departments to come up with the best way to operate. We don’t want to hear, ‘This is the way we’ve always done it,’” he said.

McKrell explained the department looked at every piece of equipment and vehicle valued at more than $5,000. It then detailed its age, mileage, value, when it needs to be replaced and that cost. The town did not pay a consultant to do the report. Instead, McKrell said it took her and her staff several weeks to complete it.

“This gives us more of a scientific method of where we stand with our equipment,” she said. “It guides the town’s replacement of vehicles in a systematic way.”

McKrell said that the town would have to budget an average of $432,000 annually over the next 20 years to pay for the replacement of equipment and vehicles for a total cost of $8.6 million. She said that 36 percent of the current fleet of trucks and equipment are past their useful life.

Selectwoman Kate Rotella, who works as the Town of Waterford’s purchasing agent, said “I’ve been talking about this from day one. I’m in full support. Thank you. You’ve done a wonderful job on this.”

She also suggested the town create a fleet management committee to oversee the process.

j.wojtas@theday.com