City staff recommend accepting DEQ grant to replace primary mower with electric model

City staff notified the council Sept. 17 that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has offered a grant to replace the city’s primary park mower with an electric model. Staff said the grant would cover about 45 percent of the replacement cost and that the full replacement mower is estimated at about $25,000. City staff indicated contingency in the parks fund is sufficient to cover the local share and asked council whether it had objections to accepting the grant.

Councilors asked how soon replacement would be needed; staff said the current mower is near end-of-life and spare parts are difficult to find, making the timing appropriate for replacement. Staff also said switching to electric would reduce fuel costs and would align with the city’s stated environmental goals.

Council signaled no objection to accepting the grant; staff said the city may need to return to the council for final purchasing approval because the purchase price is above the manager’s routine spending threshold, while acceptance of the grant itself can proceed.

Outcome: council gave informal consent for staff to accept the DEQ grant; staff will return if formal purchasing authorization is required.