Published: June 19, 2009 12:13 pm      

Much ado over mower

Mayor Jimmy Tramel broke tying votes Tuesday as Pryor City Council sparred over a lawn mower.

Tramel broke the stalemates after council voted four to four on two different motions on the same agenda item. The council ties followed the rescinding of a first motion made on the item.

The controversial issue was over the purchase of a mower for property maintenance at Pryor Creek Recreation Center.

Billy Littlefield, city maintenance worker, has been mowing the property at Pryor Creek Recreation Center with a 72-inch mower belonging to the park department. Because borrowing the mower is putting the park department in a bind, the city sought quotes for a mower to use at the rec center.

Last week, the budget and personnel committee recommended buying a mower and set a cost limit of $8,000.

The item on the consent agenda was to approve purchasing a 27-horsepower, gasoline powered, Dixon mower with zero turn radius and a 52-inch cut. At a cost of $6,500, the Dixon mower was the lowest quote the city received. The second lowest price was a John Deere gasoline mower with a 25-horsepower engine with a 54-inch cut for $7,956.75. A third quote of $9,006.25 was for a 27-horsepower John Deere with a 60-inch cut.

Councilman Tony Smith made a motion to buy the Dixon, and Councilman Drew Stott gave the second.

Tramel informed the council the Chouteau dealer who supplied the quote on the Dixon mower is going out of business. Tramel said he felt the city should choose another quote.

Councilman Ronnie Sharp pointed out that for a $1,000 more, the city could buy a John Deere mower with a 60-inch deck.

Councilman Leonard Barnes said he felt the item should be tabled and made that motion.

Tramel called PCRC Director Shane Simpson to the front to speak.

The rough terrain behind the rec center has previously been mowed with a tractor and finish mower. Simpson said the finish mower is basically a brush hog. He said last year, the grass got high and didn’t look good.

Councilman Ronnie Sharp pointed out that Littlefield has been borrowing a mower from the park department.

“They need a mower now,” said Councilwoman Carolyn Wise.

Wise made a motion to purchase the John Deere with the 54-inch deck.

With three motions on the floor, Tramel called City Attorney Randy Elliott into the room to ask the proper way to handle the situation. Elliott instructed council that the first motion must be rescinded and the second motion must come to a vote. If the second motion did not pass, then the third motion could be made.

Smith rescinded his motion, and Barnes held to his motion to table the purchase of the mower. Voting against the motion to table were Smith, Lucy Belle Schultz, Wise and Sharp. Councilmen Garry Harris, Stott, Ray and Barnes voted to table.

The mayor broke the tie by voting no, which opened the agenda item for another motion.

Wise made her motion to buy the John Deere mower with the 54-inch cut. Smith, Schultz, Wise and Sharp voted yes. Harris, Stott, Ray and Barnes voted no.

Tramel voted yes, stating his reason: the John Deere mower will be purchased from a local dealer.

The motion carried. The City of Pryor will buy a 25-horsepower John Deere mower from P&K Equipment for $7,956.75.