You could buy a median priced resale home in Manteca back in 1993 for $125,700.
Today that is enough to buy a lawn mower needed to cut grass in city parks and have $5,700 left over or enough to almost cover three years of mower maintenance costs.
The municipal budget going into effect July 1 includes funding to buy a 16-foot large cut turf wing mower for use in the city’s community facilities districts and landscape maintenance districts. The cost is covered by annual fees assessed on homeowners to maintain the LMDs.
Money for a second 16-foot wing mower for city parks maintained by the general fund and not LMDs is targeted for funding in the 2018-2019 fiscal year budget.
Because the LMD funds are collected for a specific use they can’t be used in city parks.
The city mower is older than 15 years old and is in worse shape. The LMD mower is 15 years old but instead of being able to cut 16-foot swaths, it is smaller as it cuts only 10-foot swaths. Both mowers have frequent breakdowns and unavailability of parts. Issues with the city mower are so bad that replacing it in 2018-2019 will save the city $5,000 a year in maintenance costs.
Manteca is going forward now with the LMD mower purchase as the account has the funds. In addition, the directive to have new neighborhood parks’ ongoing maintenance costs picked up by the homes in the subdivisions where they are located via the LMDs means there will be 20 more acres in addition to the 100 acres that LMD crews currently mow.
Replacing the 10-foot mower with a 16-foot mower will increase the efficiency of workers and allow them to cut more neighborhood parks as they are added.
The newer lawnmowers — unlike the current ones — will comply with the new California Air Resources Board air quality standards.
Other capital improvement projects for the Parks & Recreation Department that are funded in the new budget include:
u$2 million for community park improvements at the proposed family entertainment zone west of Costco and the Big League Dreams sports complex where the city hopes to secure ab indoor waterpark resort, a 500-room hotel, and conference center.
u$1.15 million for Northgate Park picnic area renovation including a new shade structure, concrete flooring, security lighting, restroom upgrades, and other improvements.
u$60,000 for the renovation of the Spreckels Park BMX track.
u$100,000 for upgrading city playgrounds with equipment that complies with the American With Disabilities Act.
u$105,000 for the removal of turf at the Manteca Civic Center and replacing it with low-maintenance and low water use landscaping
u$140,000 for the repair of cracks and resurfacing of the tennis courts located along Union Road and the ones on Center Street. The two Center Street courts have not been resurfaced in over 20 years.
u$125,000 for new replacement flooring at the Manteca Senior Center.