By Ryan Storz
At least one issue has been put to rest in Leasburg.
During the board of trustees meeting on July 21, the board voted 4-1 to purchase a John Deere mower that will cost roughly $2,400.
Kris Knight was the board’s only dissenting vote. During the July 13 meeting, he was granted permission to look over the village’s current mower that was purchased 22 years ago.
Knight believed that it was something which could be fixed. Board chairperson Kathy Byrd gave Knight one week to figure it out.
He reported at the July 21 meeting that, after doing some work on it, there was nothing majorly wrong with it, but Byrd and Nicky Phillips believed it was time for a new mower.
The board asked James King, who does the village mowing, for his opinion. King said that the current mower would do fine for awhile, then shut down and not start again.
He also said that sometimes he had to take a board and hit the starter.
It was Knight’s position that the village does not need a $2,400 mower and that he could not justify voting for that when they could purchase something less expensive that would accomplish what needs to be done.
Chris Kaiser inquired if there was a less expensive John Deere that could be purchased. Phillips said that, when they called the John Deere dealer, they told him what it needed to do and that it was for a municipality. He had recommended a specific mower that was priced at roughly $1,800.
Byrd and Phillips went to Lowe’s to look at them and the recommended mower had one wheel on the deck. The next one up was $2,099, had a better motor and the deck had four wheels for better balance.
There is a $327 charge for an extended warranty and it will last for six years.
Knight had asked why Leasburg needs a John Deere, to which Phillips countered that you get what you pay for.
Kaiser suggested that the old mower be sold to pay for the extended warranty and Byrd motioned to put it up for sealed bid.
When the village’s mower goes up for bid, there will be a reserve of $300.