Trustees debate accelerating purchase of new greens mower to avoid downtime and repair costs

Superintendent Jim Shell told the Oak Hills Park Authority June 26 that the park’s T greens mower is aging and requiring growing maintenance. He proposed ordering a replacement immediately rather than waiting until the scheduled March purchase.

"Our current T mower is aging out, and we're putting a lot of work into it," Jim Shell said. "If we buy a new greens mower and move one of our current greens mowers over, we wouldn't have to be spending so much time on that T mower."

Shell said accelerating the purchase would increase payments in fiscal 2026 by about $5,250 because financing would start earlier. Board members debated whether to finance the mower, pay cash from recent operating gains, or shorten the lease term to reduce interest. Finance director Mark Controller said the last equipment lease had an interest rate around 6.25 percent and that the authority currently earns a little under 4 percent in the money market.

Several trustees supported buying the mower now to avoid downtime and escalating repair costs; others worried about the capital budget’s size and the effect on cash reserves and upcoming potential capital needs such as HVAC, as noted by Gary Leeds. The group discussed lease prepayment clauses as a potential compromise and asked staff to check lease terms and report back.

No formal motion to accelerate the purchase was taken on the record. Chair Alan Dutton and other board members said staff should supply financing options and incorporate any accelerated purchase into the capital expenditures sheet when the superintendent and controller finalize next month’s budget presentation.

The discussion underscored a broader budget approach: trustees expressed willingness to buy needed equipment but asked for explicit cash-flow and lease-term analysis before committing.