Council has unanimously approved the purchase of two new electric lawnmowers that will double the township’s current supply.
The additional mowers will replace two gas-powered machines that are past their useful life. The new models are being purchased from Laurel Lawnmower Inc. – one of three bidders – for $49,100.
The township has nine mowers, four of which will now be electric.
In an email, Mayor David Fleisher said that the new models will help protect the environment, part of his initiative to reduce emissions.
“Township council and I remain committed to advancing sustainability initiatives that protect our environment, while acting in a fiscally responsible manner,” he noted.
According to the approved council resolution, the electric mowers will provide a “better work environment for employees and surrounding neighborhoods through their reduced noise, zero emissions, improved operator comfort and lower operating costs.”
Brian Bauerle, the township’s business administrator, said the new mowers were purchased after success with the first two electric models.
The machines’ cost is offset with $16,000 in manufacturer incentives to reduce overall costs. The township approved its first two electric mowers – also from Laurel Lawnmower Inc. – for $65,137 in December of 2024.
According to Bauerle, the township has five electric vehicles and some hybrid models that were approved in 2024. The police have no electric models, only hybrids. The Office of Emergency Management has one electric vehicle.
The five vehicles cost $243,851, all paid for with federal funds.
Of the vehicles, two replaced machines that were more than 20 years old; two were used as part of a pilot program by police; and one for was approved for unspecified administrative use.
Separately, the township has undertaken other green initiatives as part of its Branching Out program, which involved donating 200 trees to residents to greenify the town, along with about 165 recently planted by volunteers and public works employees.
