Chair moves to purchase mower with puncture‑resistant ‘twill’ wheels; price stated at $16,392.50

The Chair moved to purchase a replacement mower equipped with puncture‑resistant “twill” wheels, citing long‑term savings on tire maintenance and trade‑in of the older machine. Staff had presented a quote to replace the 2020 mower and described how twill (solid/plastic-style) wheels can reduce flat tires on rough ground and ditches.

Why it matters: The equipment decision affects routine mowing operations and maintenance costs for municipal grounds and ditches. Staff said the town typically replaces mowers every two to three years and plans to trade in the older unit when the new one is acquired.

At the meeting, the price of the proposed unit was read aloud as “$16,392.50.” The Chair said, “I’ll move to get the twill.” The motion was seconded on the record. One member said, “I will abstain.” The Chair then named two people as in favor; the transcript does not record a full roll call or map those names to speaker numbers in the recorded segments.

Staff said the twill option costs more upfront but argued it pays for itself over time because crews spend less time on tire repairs and avoid frequent front‑tire replacements. Staff also noted the older mower will be traded in as part of the purchase and that the cost had been budgeted and placed in depreciation.

Next steps: The motion was put on the record at the meeting. The transcript records the motion, a second, and at least one abstention; it names two individuals as voting in favor but does not provide a complete, roll‑call‑style tally in the transcript excerpts.