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County plans mixed approach: contract vertical mowing and new MowerMax to address overgrown rights of way
Summary
Staff proposed piggybacking a Paulding County vertical mowing contract ($1,300 per mile unit price) with a not‑to‑exceed budget of $500,000 to catch up, while also recommending purchase of a MowerMax boom mower ($277,629.16) and a Blue Diamond brush cutter attachment (~$11,438) to boost in‑house capability.
Staff described a two‑pronged plan to address overgrown roadside vegetation: contract vertical mowing on a month‑to‑month unit price basis and invest in additional in‑house equipment. Using Paulding County’s bid as a piggyback option, staff said vertical mowing contractors commonly charge about $1,300 per mile; applying that rate to all county road miles would total roughly $700,000, but staff recommended a maximum contract budget of $500,000 to help the county get caught up while preserving in‑house capacity.
To reduce long‑term contractor dependence, staff asked to purchase a MowerMax boom mower (30‑foot boom) at the Georgia State contract price of $277,629.16 and a Blue Diamond brush cutter attachment for an existing mini excavator (~$11,438). Road maintenance staff and Terrence Maddox, the right‑of‑way vegetation supervisor who was present, said the combination would allow crews to respond to hot‑spot citizen complaints while keeping cyclical maintenance moving. Staff recommended short‑term contracting to expedite catch‑up and the equipment purchases as a long‑term investment in county capability.
