SALEM — The parks commission discussed the potential purchase of new mowers in its meeting Wednesday.

Parks Director Kelli Pastore told the commissioners that the department’s current mowers both have over 700 hours of use, and that their warranty ended at the 500-hour mark and suggested implementing a staggered replacement schedule for the department’s mowers. Pastore said that if the department traded in the more heavily used mower this year and waited until next year for the other, it would reduce the monetary burden of replacing equipment on the department in any given year moving forward.

Parks Foreman Wes Bryan said that the staggered schedule would also mean that if the department found that a given mower was not meeting its expectations after purchase, that it could purchase a different brand or model the next year.

Bryan said that he and Pastore had visited Homeworth Sales & Services to review possible replacements and that he favored a Ferris mower. He explained that it was the only model in its class with an independent suspension, which he said was easier on the department’s workers. He said that it would also scalp the ground less than the current mowers, which would reduce the department’s cost for mower blades.

The commissioners asked how much the new mower would cost, and Pastore said she did not have a specific price. However, she said that the list price for the unit was approximately $20,000 and that the department’s actual price would be less than that as the parks department gets a reduced government price, and the dealer has offered to waive the typical freight costs as it will be placing an order for its annual stock soon and can include the mower in that order. Pastore and Bryan also suggested ordering a new stand-on blower from Homeworth, noting that the department’s current Steiner blowers were approximately 15 years old and cannot be easily repaired if they experience a mechanical issue as the Steiner brand was discontinued in 2024 and replacement parts were no longer produced.

Commissioner Don Yeasted asked what the plan would be for the department’s current blowers if a new unit was purchased, and Pastore said that the department would continue using them for as long as they remained operational. Pastore also noted that the additional blower would allow the department to clean up leaves more efficiently while the Steiner remained functional and free up the department’s workers to address other maintenance needs around the parks.

The commissioners ultimately asked Pastore and Bryan to reach out to the Alliance Parks Department, which has purchased multiple Ferris mowers and a Ferris blower from Homeworth, and ask about their performance, maintenance requirements, and how they handle the wear and tear caused by the level of use the department’s mowers receive, and to confirm what the final price after the discounts would be for review in the commission’s next meeting.

The commissioners also rescheduled their regular meetings for both November and December, as the fourth Wednesday of the month falls on Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve respectively. The commission will instead meet on the third Wednesday of the month in November and December on Nov. 19 and Dec. 17, respectively.

The meeting concluded with an executive session for the discussion of personnel matters with no action to follow.

The parks commission will meet next at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 23 for a special meeting and 5 p.m. Nov. 19 for its next regular meeting.