Public Works reports near‑completion of Homer Leggett Park upgrades; staff seeks Ventrac tractor and attachments

Public Works provided a quarterly projects update at the July work session, reporting significant progress at Homer Leggett Park and other city properties and requesting a specialized tractor to support maintenance. Public Works lead Michael Hafstadler (presenting the report) said crews have completed new bike racks, a repair station, signage, a fountain installation, and Pavilion 3 construction at Homer Leggett Park, and that a French drain installed around the dog‑park building has improved flooding at a previously soggy area. Staff said playground fencing, restroom renovations, retaining wall repairs at the basketball court and surface quotes for playgrounds remain on the schedule. Hafstadler said the tennis‑court lighting is complete and that some cosmetic work (fence repair, seal coating) remains before full public use. Beatty Street fountain is functioning but leaks and is being evaluated; the pond at Marsha Harrison Park is being tested for depth to determine whether an aeration or fountain system is feasible. Separately, staff requested purchase of a Ventrac compact tractor with six attachments to reduce labor and turf damage when trimming detention ponds, mowing right of ways and maintaining parks. Staff reported a live demo where a crew cleared an entire detention pond in 10 minutes compared with hours of manual labor. The machine would be purchased through Sourcewell with a local distributor, Howard Brothers, which will provide training; some attachments may ship later. Staff proposed storing the equipment in the new pole barn at Public Works and using vendor warranty and service for maintenance. Why it matters: The equipment and park upgrades are intended to reduce maintenance time and ongoing repair costs while improving public amenities. No final purchase approval was recorded at the work session; staff said they would proceed with procurement steps through Sourcewell and coordinate delivery and training with the vendor if the council approves funding at a later action.