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PERRY TOWNSHIP -- Township trustees discussed the purchase of a new tractor in their meeting Monday.
Road Supervisor Darreck Ferrell said that the township's tractor had been experiencing issues for some time, which was making mowing across the township difficult. Ferrell explained that the splines in one of the mower's internal shafts were "razor thin," and that "it wouldn't take much of an impact at all" to destroy them, so the road department had been forced to baby the mower.
Ferrell also said that they had taken the mower in for repairs once already but found that they did not have the correct parts for the repairs, so a temporary fix was implemented while parts are obtained. However, he noted that the department had been able to complete one 50-inch-wide pass across the entire township to ensure roads remained clear and safe.
Trustee Jim Armeni suggested that it may be time for the township to pursue a new mower during the winter, with Trustee Tony Ierepoli suggesting a MowerMax unit, noting that they were specifically designed for the kind of mowing the township needs and that he feels one will be able to last upwards of 20 years or even longer with proper maintenance. Ferrell was also in favor of the MowerMax, but noted that he feels the only other viable option would be a John Deere with a Tiger mower. Ferrell explained that the John Deere was the only company still making tractors with a full frame, as the industry standard had become to use the engine and transmission mount as the frame, and that after talking with another township's department with a tractor without a full frame about the issues they'd been experiencing despite the tractor only being five years old he feels the strain and weight of the mower would twist a tractor without a full frame and necessitate frequent repairs.
Ierepoli said that the township had received estimates for a new unit and that the purchase of an appropriate John Deere and Tiger mower would cost approximately $180,000, while the MowerMax could be purchased for approximately $220,000. Ierepoli also estimated the township's current tractor could be sold for between $30,000 and $40,000, noting that Beaver Township trustees had recently sold their tractor and mower for $30,000, despite it having more miles than the Perry Township's tractor and not having four wheel drive.
During his report Ferrell also said that the department had begun blacktop patching for the year on Chestnut Grove and that the department will be addressing roads that may experience issues during winter through the rest of September. He said crack sealing is scheduled for the second week of October.
During his report Fire Chief Brandon Smith said the department had switched to its new radio system Sept. 1 and that they had been tested across the township to ensure messages can be sent and received without issue. Smith also said that he is expecting the resignation of two of his firefighters this month, noting one of which was moving to Lisbon and the other had recently had a baby.
The meeting also saw approval to purchase a new three-in-one printer, fax and scanner for $649.99 and a quote from Salem Computer for $634.65 for antivirus software for the police department's computer system, for a total expense of $1,284.64.
Other financial matters included a brief discussion of the township's investment accounts, which concluded with a decision to have Fiscal Officer John Volio review the interest rates of the potential accounts in the area for further discussion at the trustee's next meeting.
The meeting concluded with an executive session for the discussion of personnel matters, with no action following.
The trustees will meet next at 4 p.m. Sept. 25.