Commissioner Paul and colleagues on the County Commission tabled a proposal to buy a 60-gallon weed-sprayer for the fairgrounds and motorsports park and asked staff to return with a price for a wider boom and an inventory and use estimate for equipment from the weed board. The motion to table passed by voice vote. Lisa Heizer, county parks staff, described the unit in the packet as “a 60 gallon tank, with a boom and also a hand nozzle to spray the weeds, at the fairgrounds and at the motorsports park.” Heizer said the unit can mount on a four-wheeler and includes a reel and three spray nozzles. Heizer said she had used a similar sprayer and that “this one's a 60, so you could get even more done that way.”

The discussion centered on whether the county should purchase a dedicated unit for park use or rely on the county’s weed-board equipment. Commissioners raised questions about availability, coordination time and tax restrictions tied to weed-board assets. Heizer said the weed-board equipment is intended for noxious-weed control and that “it's taxed because it's taxed for the weed board, and the weed board's mission, according to him, is they spray noxious weeds, period.” Commissioners noted that if weed-board equipment is restricted to noxious weeds, it may not be legally appropriate for park maintenance or for spraying non-noxious turf and playground areas.

To resolve those issues, the commission directed staff to obtain two items before a final decision: (1) a quote from the vendor for a wider boom option so the sprayer can cover broader swaths, and (2) an inventory of the weed board’s equipment plus an approximate annual utilization estimate (hours per year) so commissioners can evaluate sharing versus purchasing. Commissioner Paul agreed to coordinate with Travis (the weed-board operator) to get the inventory. Commissioner Corey seconded the motion to table, which passed with all members present voting in favor.

Commissioners also discussed operational concerns: logistics of transporting and cleaning shared equipment, the time lost when staff must retrieve a unit from another location, and the limitations of four-wheelers for heavier loads. Heizer said the county uses its side-by-side units for spraying “in the early mornings late at night” to avoid wind. No dollar amount for the proposed sprayer was put on the record at the meeting; commissioners requested the vendor quote before a future vote.

The issue will return to the commission after staff provides the wider-boom quote and the weed-board inventory and utilization estimate.