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Riverside council approves purchase of $52,400 remote-control mower after safety and cost debate
Summary
After staff demonstrations and questions from council and residents, Riverside City Council approved a resolution to buy a remote-control R Series mower to reduce worker risk on steep slopes, using state highway funds and a capital equipment fund; opponents urged exploring rentals and alternate fixes.
Riverside City Council voted July 20 to approve a resolution authorizing purchase of a remote-control R Series mower for $52,400 to maintain steep highway embankments and other difficult-to-reach slopes.
City staff said the mower was chosen after three vendors demoed machines on Riverside slopes and that it can operate safely on slopes up to 50 degrees (and more with a proposed winch attachment). “The cost is $52,400 … within five years this mower pays for itself,” said Ms. Moore, a city staff presenter, adding the mower’s expected useful life is about 12 years. Staff also told council the machine’s track design and remote joystick control reduce employee exposure to the most hazardous mowing work.
Council members pressed staff on alternatives. A resident who spoke during the agenda public comment period, Kenneth Ulmer, questioned whether the city should rent similar equipment rather than buy it outright: “Is it worth $52,400 to use a piece of equipment that we could possibly rent for cheaper?” Ulmer asked. Ms. Moore replied staff had compared rental costs, estimating about $10,000 per year to rent machines sufficient for the key interchange work and concluded purchase would pay back over several years when accounting for labor savings.
Council also sought details about brand reliability, training, storage and funding sources. Ms. Moore said the city demoed three top commercial brands, that operator training and equipment-safe procedures are documented in the city’s safety program, and that the mower will fit in existing garage space. Funding was described as a mix of state highway funds (for work on state routes and ramps) and the city’s capital equipment fund for other uses; staff noted the capital fund had been identified by auditors as funds to spend down for capital purchases.
A motion to approve the resolution carried by voice vote. The measure authorizes staff to complete the purchase and use the identified funding sources. Council members said staff would circulate additional operational details and projected fiscal impacts for broader equipment planning.
The council approved the measure after public comment and discussion. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript for the voice vote.
