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Derry Area SD board hears pitch to lease robotic 'Turf Tank' to cut field-marking costs
Summary
District staff presented a proposal to lease a robotic field-striping machine, citing reductions in labor and paint use and proposing a three-year subscription paid from the general fund. No board action was recorded at the meeting.
The Derry Area School District Board of School Directors heard a presentation on a proposal to lease a robotic line‑painting machine known as the Turf Tank, which district staff said would reduce labor hours and paint usage for athletic and band fields.
The presentation was given by Mr. Maine, a district staff member. He told the board the Turf Tank would drop the district’s line‑painting operational cost from roughly $16,689 (current manual process) to about $6,839 (robot-assisted), and would reduce total man‑hours for field marking from about 309 hours to 110 hours per season. Maine said the district currently uses about 500 gallons of paint annually and that the Turf Tank would save about 278 gallons, cutting paint costs by roughly $3,355.46 and further reducing labor costs he estimated at about $4,000.
Maine described the vendor’s three‑year subscription (lease) terms: an upfront implementation/mapping fee of about $1,700 and an annual lease of about $16,000 for the pro model. He said the vendor provides 24/7 support, a backup machine, on‑site visits twice a year, training, batteries and spare parts, and a $3,000 paint‑lock option; he estimated year‑two operational costs could fall when paint and labor savings materialize. Maine said the district would pay the lease from the general fund, on a July 1 through June 30 fiscal cycle, and that the contract can be canceled at any time with the vendor’s standard terms.
Board members asked about maintenance and vendor support. Maine said the pro subscription includes site visits, training, spare pumps, solenoids, batteries, and that the vendor would provide a courtesy replacement robot if needed. He said the Turf Tank is controlled with an Android tablet and GPS mapping and will notify operators if it goes offline.
Board members sought and received additional details about field types the machine can mark. Maine said the pro model can handle multiple sports fields and band practice areas, and can also apply temporary parking‑lot markings on grass for special events; it cannot paint hard surfaces such as pavement. He said the pro model carries roughly 5.5 gallons (larger than the “light” model) and that the pro model’s extra support is why he recommended it.
Board members and one grounds‑committee member who had seen a demo said the new information answered earlier questions and that the machine could free staff time for campus maintenance tasks such as mulching, pruning and storm‑drain clearing. One board member noted the device could support curricular opportunities in computer science by letting students observe programmatic control and automation.
The Turf Tank presentation was informational; the board did not take a recorded vote on the lease during the meeting. Maine said the proposal would be placed on a future board agenda for formal consideration.
