CASSOPOLIS — The Cass County Parks Department will soon receive a new piece of equipment thanks to a vote Thursday by the Cass County Board of Commissioners.

During its regular meeting Thursday evening, the board approved a resolution to approve the purchase of 2019 John Deere Gator for the Cass County Parks Department. The Gator will cost $13,168 to be paid out of the county’s public improvement fund. The quote for the vehicle was gathered under the MiDeal program, an extended purchasing program which allows Michigan local units of government to use state contracts to buy goods and services.

The Gator, which is a multiuse utility vehicle, will replace the current 1996 model being used by the parks department.

“[The newer model] works more, hauls more, is more stable,” said Parks Director Scott Wyman. “We have one just like it that is 23 years old, and we are looking to replace it. … [The old model] has fulfilled its purpose many times over. We are hoping for the same kind of longevity with this new one.”

Though Wyman said he knows that the price tag of the new Gator may give some people pause, he believes it is a necessary purchase for the parks department as repairs to the old Gator would cost more than it is worth, and a working Gator is vital to the work the department does.

“We pull wagons with it. We haul wood with it. We go down trails with it because we can’t fit our vehicles down there,” he said. “We use it, I would say, almost every single day. … It’s very versatile and multi-dimensional. It is definitely a workhorse in our department.”

Also Thursday:

• The Cass County Board of Commissioners approved the reappointment of Diane Konneck to the Jury Commission for a six-year term ending April 30, 2025.

• The board voted to accept a resolution to approve the purchase of a replacement air conditioning unit for the County Building Server Room from R.W. LaPine at the cost of $4,081.00 to be paid out of the public improvement fund.