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Greene County schools approve Turf Tank field-painting robot purchase not to exceed $61,000
Summary
The board approved buying a Turf Tank robotic field-painting machine (not to exceed $61,000) after a demonstration; staff outlined costs for purchase vs. subscription and said ongoing maintenance and paint allowances could be covered in the annual plan, with community groups potentially contributing.
The Greene County Community School District board voted to approve the purchase of a Turf Tank robotic field-painting machine, authorizing up to $61,000 for a purchase option that staff said would replace a labor-intensive manual painting process.
During discussion staff described three financing/usage options: a pro-package annual subscription (~$16,000/year), a one-time purchase (~$61,000) with a subsequent annual maintenance/care plan of about $5,000 (including roughly $3,000 of paint and $2,000 in parts/service), or other contribution models with boosters or youth associations covering some recurring costs. Staff said the machine paints fields faster (about three-plus hours) and requires fewer labor hours than the current manual process, which staff estimated consumes many hours per week during season.
Board members discussed durability, battery life (5—66 hours with two batteries proposed), the device's GPS/base-station setup, vendor support for same/next-day replacement, and potential fund sources (district Pebble funds were cited). Staff said community organizations including the Booster Club and Greene County Youth Association had expressed interest in contributing to the ongoing care plan.
Why it matters: The machine reduces recurring labor hours for field marking and could save staff time during the sports season; it is a capital purchase requiring board approval and capital-fund planning.
Vote outcome: Board approved the Turf Tank purchase motion (not to exceed $61,000) by roll call. Implementation will include vendor training and an implementation plan; staff said they will coordinate contributions and schedule training sessions for operations and maintenance after acquisition.
Funding note: Staff said Pebble funds are the intended funding source for the purchase; board members discussed capturing Pebble expenditures historically to track available funds prior to additional spending.
