Valley Cemetery minutes list mower bids; member cites Kubota as preferred option

The minutes of the Valley Cemetery meeting on Jan. 21, 2025 record review of several lawn-mower bids and a member’s stated preference for a Kubota model, though no formal procurement decision or vote is recorded.

According to the minutes read by the recorder, bids and offers included John Deere at $10,000 (30-inch deck); a Husqvarna 48-inch deck listed via "Murdock's" at $4,000 with a 15% discount if purchased before Feb. 20; Ace Hardware quoted $7,656 for a heavy-duty 45-inch deck; Toro models were listed at $7,148 and $10,866; a Husqvarna commercial 48-inch deck was listed at $9,738; and Kubota figures appear inconsistently in the minutes — $5,921 is listed for a 48-inch Kubota, and a separate line lists a county-discounted price of $5,367 with a grass catcher. The minutes also include a separate Kubota figure of $7,418 referenced by a member, without clarifying which model or vendor that price corresponds to.

Member Ron Westch "felt it would be best to go with the Kubota," the minutes say, but they do not record a motion to purchase a specific mower, a vote tally, or an approved budget line for the acquisition. The inconsistency of the recorded prices means the minutes do not make clear which Kubota model or price the group is considering.

The minutes also note a promotional discount tied to a Feb. 20 purchase date from one vendor and list a county discounted price for the Kubota when purchased with a grass catcher, suggesting potential cost savings if the board selects a model and vendor promptly.

Next steps recorded in the minutes include two members — Ron Westch and William Parke — planning to attend the county commissioners' meeting on Jan. 28. The minutes do not say whether the cemetery group will seek county funding or formal approval for the mower purchase at that meeting.