County To Spend $175,000 To Replace Aging Tractors, Mowers

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County will spend $175,078 on three new tractors and three new mowers to maintain area rights of way.

All equipment exceeds the county's criteria for replacement, Purchasing Director James Gantt said at Tuesday's county commission meeting.

The tractors, which replace ones purchased in 1999, will cost $34,523 each. The mowers will be attached to the tractors and cost $23,836 each.

Gantt said the county got more than a 27 percent discount by using the school board's competitively bid contract.

Gantt said the tractors and mowers, to be used by the Department of Public Works, were part of the scheduled rotation and turnover.

The county will maintain the equipment in-house, he said.

Commissioner Chris Kingsley said he understands the need to replace the equipment but wondered if there were cheaper alternatives than John Deere.

"That's a question I can't answer directly," said Gantt, adding that the county for some reason determined that John Deere was the preferred company for its mowing program. As Commission Chairman Jeff Stabins quipped: "Nothing runs like a Deere...that's the county's philosophy."