To make mowing the city’s flood control levees more efficient, the Great Bend City Council Tuesday night approved the purchase of a 2023 Massey Ferguson tractor for flood control levee mowing. The 135 horsepower tractor comes  from Lang Diesel Inc. for $130,347. 

“The city currently utilizes a 1989 Ford Versatile tractor and a 1991 Ford Versatile tractor,” said Public Works Director Jason Cauley. They estimate conservatively to have 8,000 hours on the 1989. 

“This purchase would be in addition to the tractors as we would utilize one when the other is down to keep two tractors out mowing,” he said. “Having the additional tractor would help keep up with the seasonal mowing on the flood control and other areas that we utilize the 15-foot bat-wings (mowers).“

The difficulty with finding tractors has been the available width, he said. The current tractors sit at nine feet from the outside of the tire to outside of the tire. 

The Massey is available to exceed that width on the front and the back. “This will allow us to use it on the slopes with the safety of the operator in mind,” he said. 

The tractor is also front-wheel assist which will allow greater control on the slopes and in areas that are soft. Funding will come from the capital outlay that has been put back for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 budget years in the amount of $90,000, and United States Department of Agriculture Reimbursement for repairs for the levee in the amount of $107,658.