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Board approves capital maintenance list including trial of autonomous mowers
Summary
The Waunakee Community School District Board approved a facilities capital maintenance list that includes purchasing autonomous mowing equipment and other field and building maintenance work.
The Waunakee Community School District Board approved a capital maintenance request that the facilities committee had reviewed, including a recommendation to purchase autonomous mowing equipment for athletic fields and building perimeters.
Facilities staff presented data comparing current manual mowing hours (12‑foot mowers) with a proposed five‑foot autonomous mower and estimated potential labor savings. During the presentation a staff member summarized the calculation: “$66,481 worth of human time is what the autonomous mower would get us back in 1 year.” Committee members asked follow‑up questions about how the autonomous mower would be deployed across fields and building perimeters and about a prior decision to hold purchase when reviewers believed the technology was not yet sufficient.
The committee recommended approval of a list of capital maintenance items; the board moved to approve that list by voice vote. The administration noted one large item on the list — replacement of the athletic standards and associated operating technology in the Field House — is original equipment from a 2004 referendum and had generated additional questions; the committee requested additional process clarity on who raises and lowers the standards.
During discussion of the mower request, a board member clarified the purchase would not replace staff but would reallocate staff hours to other maintenance tasks. Another board member said they would be interested in a report back after a year to confirm realized hours and cost savings.
The facilities request included specific amounts previously allocated and additional requests; the presentation showed an example where $22,000 had been allocated and an additional $28,000 was being requested for particular items on the list. The board approved the full list presented by the facilities committee.
Administration will track outcomes and report back to the board on labor and cost impacts after implementation.
