On a split vote Wednesday evening, the Trenton Park Board did not approve a lawn mower bid.
Board member Gary Schuett moved to purchase a Dixie Chopper XCaliber 3574 mower from Landmark Lawn Equipment, LLC of Trenton for $11,500. Gary Berry seconded the motion, which ended with a vote of two in favor, three opposed, and two abstaining. Schuett and Berry were the yes votes, Lynda Lynch, Andy Cox, and Curtis Crawford voted no and Mary Peterson and Beth Mack abstained. Peterson and Mack both said they did not feel they knew enough about the subject with Mack adding she would like to do more research.
Prior to the vote, Park Board President Duane Helmandollar said he thought Trenton was getting rid of its mowers prematurely. He believed the Park Department should get more hours or more money out of them. Berry said that even though Dixie Chopper is going out of business, he believed parts would still be available.
Schuett said he thought the Park Department could get a new Dixie Chopper mower for about half price, which he thought would be a good buy. He believes Dixie Chopper mowers work better and faster than other brands, and Park Superintendent Jason Shuler is trained in fixing Dixie Chopper mowers. He also reported that, according to research, parts for Dixie Chopper would be available “well into the future.” Schuett said he believed the Park Department could get further into the future by updating the current fleet of three mowers, and it would be a good thing for the taxpayer.
Berry suggested buying a new mower while keeping the others and having four in the fleet. There were eight bids submitted for lawn mowers, which ranged in price from $8,976 to $11,826.
The Trenton Park Board held an election of officers, and all officers were reelected. The officers are Duane Helmandollar as president, Curtis Crawford as vice president, and Andy Cox as secretary.
Schuett and Shuler both reported on receiving roses to replace those at Sesquicentennial Park. Shuler noted the roses are expected to be planted Thursday. Schuett said a supply of bamboo supports for trees also arrived.
Shuler reported Cole Soptic completed painting the bathrooms at the Upper Moberly bathrooms for his Eagle Scout project. The Park Department installed the toilets, sinks, new water lines, and LED lighting fixtures. Shuler expressed appreciation to Soptic for his work.
Shuler commended Trenton Family Aquatic Center Manager Alexis Whitney for training her staff in the short amount of time she had, due to weather, before the pool opened for the season. The pool is operating well, and the mechanical part is operating as it should.
Helmandollar commented he received several calls from residents that vehicles have been parking in residents’ yards near Moberly Park. He said he would like people to park their vehicles on the street or in the parking lot.
Shuler reported the Trenton Soccer Stars and Green Hills Recreation Association are scheduled to complete their seasons soon. He noted one of the Park Department’s priorities is to try to get rid of weeds around the fields where the GHRA teams play. The Park Department has also been marking the fields for the Soccer Stars.
The Park Department has also been helping the Street Department with pouring concrete near the approach to the Maintenance Building.
Park Board City Council Liaison Brad Chumbley reported he approached the council about electric rates for the Park Department for things like heating the city pool. He said the majority of the council members believed the winter rate being kept for the summer and the other recent rate reduction was enough for now.
