Stillwater Invests in High-Tech Mower to Tackle Drainage Maintenance Challenges
Council approves amended lease to allow Our Daily Bread to utilize additional 1,800 sq ft of city property to better serve community needs
Stillwater City Council
The Stillwater City Council unanimously approved the purchase of an Energreen Kommunal boom mower for $306,709.25 to maintain drainage areas throughout the city, replacing equipment that has been out of service since November 2024.
The new equipment replaces a 1995 Ford tractor with a boom mower attachment that suffered transmission failure when its oiler mechanism broke down. The tractor had 2,638 hours of use. Public Works Director Mark White said the city has been unable to adequately maintain drainage areas since the equipment failed.
"Public Works maintains drainage areas throughout the city of Stillwater. Many of the drainage areas are long roadways in parks, long creeks, and drainage channels throughout the city," White told the council.
The city evaluated three different boom mower systems from P&K Equipment, Atmax Equipment and Jensen Tractor Ranch. Demonstrations were conducted at Myers Park along the same drainage channel to ensure consistent testing conditions.
White said the Energreen model was selected based on four key criteria: safety, noise level, ease of operation and serviceability. The boom position on the Energreen unit is toward the front, allowing operators to look forward while cutting rather than having to look over their shoulder.
"The boom position on the Mantis was behind the operator. So it was actually behind the front right tire, between the back tire and the front tire. So the operator, when they're operating, they had to look over their shoulder at the cutting deck," White explained. "So in the roadways, that would be unsafe."
The Energreen unit was also the quietest of the three machines tested, which White said would be important when mowing in parks and neighborhoods. It features simpler controls compared to the computerized systems on competing models.
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Councilor Christie Hawkins noted that the recommended equipment was not the lowest bid among the three options. White confirmed the city chose the most expensive option but said fleet mechanics and equipment operators provided strong justification for the selection.
"I tasked those guys, the fleet guys and my operators and I said, hey, you know, we're going to have to explain why we're recommending the most expensive piece of equipment. And so I think they were able to come up with some pretty good reasons," White said.
📺 Watch the Kommunal Boom Mower in Action
The equipment purchase is funded through the city's Stormwater Fund. White said the Energreen manufacturer has a strong track record for durability, with units from 2003 still in daily use and one early model from 2000 in Italy still functional with allegedly 20,000 hours of operation.
Our Daily Bread Set to Grow with Council-Approved Lease Amendment
In other business, the council authorized an amended lease agreement allowing Community Resourcing Incorporated to expand the Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center by approximately 1,800 square feet.
The expansion utilizes an adjacent city-owned building formerly occupied by Service Oklahoma/Department of Public Safety. The amended lease maintains the existing $1 annual rent and extends the term through December 2041, with options for two additional five-year extensions.
City Attorney Kimberly Carnley said the lease value exceeds $250,000, requiring approval by ordinance under Section 4-2 of the City Charter. The ordinance includes provisions for citizen-initiated referendum if petitions with signatures equal to 25% of voters in the last municipal election are filed within 30 days.
Mayor Reminds Residents about Back-to-School Safety
Council members also received updates on upcoming community events, including the start of the school year for local institutions. Stillwater Public Schools begin classes Aug. 14, while Oklahoma State University and Northern Oklahoma College both start Aug. 18.
Mayor Will Joyce reminded residents to exercise caution during the back-to-school period, particularly around crosswalks and school zones. He emphasized the importance of stopping at least 20 feet before school buses with flashing red lights.
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Members Discussion