Submitted Concern: Parks Dept and self-driven mower

CONCERN: I heard from others that the village purchased a self-driven mower in order to eliminate the need for a parks department. I support technology where feasible, but why was this decision made?

RESPONSE:
The parks department has not been eliminated. Due to a resignation, the department responsibilities have been evaluated over the course of the past several months. In early spring, a demo of a robotic lawn mower was conducted by a local entrepreneur. The demo was sought to determine if a robotic lawn mower would be a viable solution for hard to mow or frequently mowed areas. The demo period was 30 days. While the technology of the robotic mower was impressive, it was not deemed to be a fit for our current needs.