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The Troup County Commissioners have approved the purchase of a pair of specialty mowers for the parks and recreation department. Both mowers could cost nearly $100,000 in total but the final price will likely be lower if they come in soon.

Parks & Rec Director Lance Dennis presented the request to purchase both mowers during the commissioner’s work session on Tuesday morning.

Dennis requested approval to purchase a Toro Reelmaster 3100-D mower for up to $60,738.32 and a Toro Workman HD for $34,184 from Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation out of Atlanta.

Dennis said Pate is a state contractor and with discounts, they end up being significantly less expensive than everyone else. He said they need to go ahead and get in line because some of the equipment —like some recently purchased for West Point— can take more than a year to come in. He said the Reelmaster mower could be cheaper because it will likely be available earlier.

“We’re trying to go ahead and get in line. The price that you have before you for the Reel mower at $62,738.32, that’s the pricing that Jerry Pate gave me at the time of putting this quote together,” Dennis said. “That’s one of the ones they think they will get here early within possibly in the next month. Right now, that price is going to be about $49,000.

Dennis explained that the dealer provides the worst-case scenarios for the quotes because they know it could be a full year before it comes in.

Parks & Rec’s current mowers were purchased in 2007. Dennis said they frequently have to be repaired to keep them going due to their age.

“We have a lot of issues with them. You get in a bind out there for soccer if they’re both in the shop at the same time because then you have no way to cut fields to the level that they expect,” Dennis said.

Dennis said the Reelmaster mower allows for a finer cut and would be used at the soccer complex, saying the players want the field cut to about 1 inch high. He said the mowers run a bit slower than most because they have to keep the fields cut so low. Each field take about 45 minutes to an hour to cut.

Dennis said the mowers are being purchased on state contracts, so they guarantee the lowest price and with the OMNIA contact discount, the more expensive of the mowers should be about $12,000 less.

The commissioner unanimously approved the mower purchases. The funds for both mowers will come from SPLOST IV.

In other business, the Board of Commissioners:

4Approved an update to the Local Emergency Operations Plan, which has not been updated since 2016. The approximately 90-page document was updated to include jurisdictional changes and updated contacts.

4Held a public hearing for the 2023 Capital Improvement Element (CIE). This annual update is necessary for the county to retain qualified local government status with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. No comments were made from the public.

4Approved a Home Occupation Certificate for Jacob Brisky on Warner Road to run a home office for his asphalt paving and concrete repair business.

4Approved a Beer & Wine License Application for Nargis Zaveri for the Marathon store at 2750 Roanoke Rd.

4Approved a Beer & Wine License Application for Geeta Vadnerkar for the Discount Grocery store at 2972 West Point Rd.