The Gettysburg Borough Council is weighing the purchase of an MTech R-52 Remote Mower, a tracked, remote-controlled slope mower that would make it safer and faster to maintain the Stevens Run stream embankments and stormwater areas.
Public Works Director Robbie Harbaugh explained that the borough currently relies on crews of five workers who spend a week using handheld weed-whackers on the steep banks three times a year. The work is not only time-consuming but also dangerous, with employees exposed to the risk of falls and injuries.
The new mower, which costs $63,500, would transform that process. Operated from as far as 300 yards away, the machine can do the same work with just two people in about a day and a half. Harbaugh noted that this would allow the borough to carry out the maintenance more often, helping meet MS4 stormwater requirements while also protecting workers.
The purchase would be made through the state’s CoStars program, with one-third of the cost paid by the borough and two-thirds by the Stormwater Authority. The mower comes with a one-year full warranty, a three-year warranty on major components, and vendor training for operators. With proper care, Harbaugh said, the machine could last 10 to 20 years.
Council members voiced support for the plan, pointing to the mower’s ability to improve worker safety, reduce manpower demands, and extend the borough’s capacity to maintain waterways. The Stormwater Authority will review the proposal before final approval.