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Albany utility board authorizes $109,469 purchase of Vermeer stump grinder
Summary
The board approved buying a 74‑horsepower Vermeer stump grinder for $109,469.84 with a 24‑month warranty; staff said the new machine will be safer, quicker and reduce traffic obstructions compared with the older unit.
The Albany Utility Board voted March 26 to purchase a Vermeer stump grinder for $109,469.84, citing crew safety and greater efficiency.
A staff presenter described the purchase as replacement of an "very old stump grinder" that required towing and often obstructed roadways during stump‑grinding operations. The new unit includes a 24‑month warranty, remote controls and 74 horsepower. Staff said the grinding head is 35 inches wide and the machine’s design allows crews to unload and grind beside the curb without blocking traffic.
"It's tremendously more efficient and a lot more safer to operate," a presenter told the board, explaining the new unit’s all‑wheel‑drive configuration and remote controls.
Board members asked questions about dimensions, horsepower and whether the newer unit would reduce the need for lane closures; staff said it would grind stumps faster and reduce obstruction of travel lanes. The chair moved that staff be authorized to purchase the unit from Vermeer Southeast of Pensacola, Florida; the motion passed on roll call.
Staff said the purchase would be funded from the appropriate equipment replacement line in the utilities’ capital budget and that delivery could be rapid under the vendor’s schedule. The board did not add conditions to the purchase at the meeting.
