Council backs recommendation for Energreen Boomer mower purchase, favors five-year lease option

The Clinton County Council on its April meeting voted 7‑0 to support purchase of a multipurpose Energreen Boomer mower and recommended the county commissioners approve a five‑year municipal lease purchase to finance the equipment.

Rick, highway department staff, and Ryan Burke of Brown Equipment Company described a live demonstration county officials and staff attended. "We came out about this is about 2 weeks ago, to be able to present that," Ryan said, describing the machine's multipurpose attachments and performance at the demo. He and Stephanie Perez of Republic First National walked the council through a budgetary quote and municipal lease options, including five-, six-, and seven‑year terms with the first payment deferred to 02/1926 under the annual-arrears quote.

Stephanie Perez explained the municipal lease purchase structure and its differences from a commercial bank loan: it includes a non‑appropriation clause that allows a municipality to legally cease payments if funds are not appropriated in future years and typically protects the county from litigation in case of non‑appropriation. "That's why the majority of municipalities, if they finance, they do usually" municipal lease purchase agreements, she said.

Council members discussed the machine's utility beyond mowing — possible attachments include a loader bucket and plow — and noted favorable feedback from operators who attended the demo. Alan said the purchase price is $354,418 and a five‑year lease option would require five annual payments of $82,153. He also reported the local road and street fund has a cash balance of about $1,200,000.

Council member Joe moved that the council support the purchase and recommend the five‑year lease option to the county commissioners; Todd seconded. The motion passed 7‑0. The commissioners will execute the final contract and select the financing option once the council provides funding approval.