By Ali Moreland
The Vernon City Council advanced infrastructure and public works initiatives during the Monday, June 15 regular meeting, including approval of the city’s wastewater permit renewal process, award of the septage receiving station construction contract, and authorization to purchase a new lawn mower for street and park maintenance during a special called meeting for Wednesday, June 17.
The council approved moving forward with the city’s required wastewater permit renewal process, which must be completed before the current permit expires. Engineer Dale Long of Municipal Engineering Services, Inc. explained that the renewal application is due by November and includes several technical components requiring engineering certification. Council members noted that the project will need to be incorporated into upcoming budget planning before approving the renewal process.
Council members also approved awarding the construction contract for the city’s new septage receiving station to North Florida Construction for $924,000. Long reviewed the recommendation and outlined the next steps, including execution of the notice of award, bonding requirements, contract completion, and pre-construction planning. The project will now move into the contract and permitting phase, with a pre-construction meeting expected within approximately 45 days.
Later, during a special called meeting on June 17, council members addressed concerns about the city’s aging mowing equipment and discussed options for replacing a mower used for maintaining city streets, parks, and other public properties. City officials reported that the city’s existing mowing equipment is in poor condition, with the primary mower estimated to be nearly 20 years old with extensive wear, including a rebuilt deck and previous engine replacements, and is consuming oil at a rate that makes continued operation impractical.
Council members considered several replacement options, including a commercial-grade mower available locally for approximately $10,451 as well as various other mower models ranging from approximately $4,000 to $5,000. Discussion focused on balancing durability, maintenance costs, and budget constraints. Council members also discussed the possibility of purchasing a finish mower attachment for the city’s relatively new tractor to improve efficiency on larger mowing projects and reduce labor hours.
Following discussion, the council voted to authorize the purchase of a 60-inch mower for approximately $5,000. Members cited the lower cost compared to commercial-grade alternatives while noting positive experiences with the equipment’s durability and performance. The mower purchase is expected to provide additional capacity for maintaining city rights-of-way, parks, athletic fields, and other municipal properties as the city enters the peak summer mowing season.
Vernon City Council will meet again for a workshop on Monday, July 6 at 5:30 p.m.
AMBER PATINO