DDA Maintenance Supervisor Gabe Smith demonstrates a newly-arrived tractor, outfitted here with a 52-inch rotary broom, one of several accessory pieces of equipment.

The Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is all set to deal with Old Man Winter and a whole lot more with the arrival last week of a new John Deere four-wheel-drive tractor and “numerous accessories” for use in the downtown area.

Arrival of the new equipment followed action by the Three Rivers City Commission last month to approve a $15,500 budget amendment and an expenditure from the DDA’s fund balance.  The moves cleared the way for the DDA to purchase the equipment from Finnerman’s Farm & Garden of Centreville via a MiDEAL contract through the State of Michigan.

DDA Maintenance Supervisor Gabe Smith, who will be on the “front line” in using the equipment for a variety of tasks, is “very happy” with the new tools and said they are “a very welcome addition.  It’s just wonderful.”

The equipment lineup includes a 54-inch lawn mower deck, a 52-inch rotary broom, and a 54-inch snow plow blade “with a quick hitch system for about a five-minute change-out,” plus a trailer for hauling.

This snow blade is "ready for action" in downtown Three Rivers in tandem with the DDA's new John Deere four-wheel-drive tractor.

Smith said the rotary broom can be used for cleaning, moving light snow up to 2 ½ or three inches, and clearing a half-inch to an inch of wet snow and slush.

In addition to dealing with heavier and larger amounts of snow, the blade can be used as a “bulldozer blade” for moving mulch and stones and grading dirt.

A 60-gallon tow-behind sprayer is on back order.  It is expected to arrive in a couple of weeks and will serve multiple purposes including flower watering, application of fertilizers and pesticides, and general disinfectant water for sidewalks.  Smith said the new tank, considerably larger than the 10-15 gallon tank he’s been using, will trim the time needed for flower watering from two to three hours to one to one-and-a-half hours, thus freeing up time for other tasks.

Grass cutting in DDA areas will be accomplished with this lawn mower deck attachment.

Smith said that, with the new equipment, the DDA will be able to handle maintenance work in the downtown area without relying on equipment from the city.  In his words, “Being a hundred percent all of our own equipment now, it’s going to make it a lot easier.  We don’t have to keep making special arrangements with the Department of Public Services to use their equipment.  (We can) be more self-contained and pick up after ourselves, clean up better, and be self-sufficient on our own and not rely on others for continuous help and support, which will take up less time on other people’s schedule.”

To hear an interview with Gabe Smith regarding the new equipment – an interview conducted by Bruce Snook of the River Country Journal – click here (2:50).