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Selectboard hears urgent roadside-mowing plan as poison parsnip spreads
Summary
Road Foreman Jeff Yrsha told the Weston Selectboard that mechanical problems with town trucks and the growing spread of poison parsnip at intersections require immediate action; he proposed buying a tractor with a sickle-bar mower (estimated cost about $100,000) or renting equipment while availability is limited.
Jeff Yrsha, the town road foreman, told the Selectboard that the town is having "ongoing mechanical issues with maintaining the town’s three trucks" and that roadside mowing is urgent to control the spread of poison parsnip, which the board noted poses a safety hazard at intersections. He presented two near-term options: rent mowing equipment if available or purchase a tractor that could be fitted with a sickle-bar mower and, in the long term, accept a chipper attachment. "Jeff proposed either purchasing a tractor with a sickle bar mower or renting equipment, estimating the purchase cost at approximately $100,000," the record shows.
Selectboard members discussed trade-offs between immediate rental and a capital purchase. Linda Saarnijoki asked about rental options; Jeff said suitable rental equipment is currently limited, and the Board agreed to follow up with the roadside mowing company and consider alternatives if delays persist. The Selectboard did not take a vote on procurement or funding at this meeting; members instructed staff and the foreman to report back with availability and cost details at a future meeting.
