Prescott Valley loans tools, offers $50 dump vouchers to help residents clear yards

Brent Bowen, neighborhood services code compliance specialist for the Town of Prescott Valley, said the town is loaning lawn and brush-clearing equipment at no cost and offering disposal vouchers to help residents remove weeds, debris and other safety hazards from private property.

The toolbox is a mobile trailer parked near the Prescott Valley Public Library with a QR code that links to a phone number for Neighborhood Services. Bowen said residents can rent equipment such as weed eaters, trimmers, lawnmowers and a “brush hog” — a heavy-duty cutter for larger brush — at no charge and that staff make sure power tools are fueled and checked between loans.

The program was created to help maintain property appearance and reduce fire risk, Bowen said. "We actually loan these out to the public for free," he said. Bowen added that loan periods are typically one week and demand rises during monsoon season; the department maintains a waiting list and recently increased inventory to meet demand.

Neighborhood Services requires a one-page application and takes a photocopy of the renter’s ID, Bowen said; those copies are shredded after the transaction. The department asks renters about their familiarity with each tool and provides safety gear and basic instruction as needed. "We go over absolutely ... make sure that they're very comfortable with running the equipment," Bowen said.

In addition to tool lending, the town is running a voucher program that gives qualifying residents a two-week window to use a free voucher for local transfer stations. Bowen said the vouchers, which run through June 15 this year, cover a $50 load fee to either the Lake Valley Waste Management transfer site or the Gray Wolf Transfer Station. "We're willing to pay for the $50 load to take it over to the dump," he said.

Bowen said Neighborhood Services also maintains a vetted list of about seven local landscape contractors who do maintenance work such as weed removal for residents who cannot perform the work themselves; the town provides three or four contractor names to residents and those contractors are required to be licensed, bonded and insured. Bowen described volunteer opportunities for neighborhood cleanups and said the department coordinates with Parks and Recreation and local faith groups to support community projects.

Bowen emphasized the program’s preventive goal: prompting conversation with residents and offering help rather than relying solely on enforcement. "We try to stop, talk to them," he said, describing a shift away from sending only written notices. He framed the work as preserving home values and reducing public-safety risks from overgrown weeds and deteriorating fences in easements.

The toolbox’s inventory has grown: Bowen said the town now has six weed eaters and four brush hogs, and that high demand during peak seasons means staff limit loans to seven days. Residents who want to use equipment or get a voucher must call the Neighborhood Services line listed via the trailer QR code and the town’s materials; the department does not accept reservations solely through a public website, Bowen said.

Neighborhood Services declined to provide a direct phone number during the program description; Bowen said the QR code on the trailer and information on the town's public channels list contact details and voucher calendars. The town said it will continue to adjust equipment and volunteer coordination based on demand.