Weissport is considering making a major purchase of equipment to mow the grass on the flood levee.

Mayor Jonathan Troutman said council should consider purchasing atractor with a16-foot boom and a 4-foot flail.Troutman said apiece of equipment such as that could cost about $20,000."No question, maintaining the levee is hard work," said Sue Pywar, council vice president. Her husband is a part-time borough worker."Everyone has full-time jobs," Pywar said . "No one wants to do the work because it is so hard."Troutman agreed that cutting the levee is hard work, but said it has to be done."The levee hasn't been cut since June, when it was done for the inspection,"Troutman said."We need to do a better job. I don't have time to do it rightnow, but in October I'llhave the time to knock it down."Troutman said Weissport needs to consider getting better equipment.He said council should consider purchasing the tractor boom.He said that alarger tractor is what is needed."You can't cut the slope with a lawnmower because it compromises the slope when the wheels dig in," Troutman said. "The levee is made up of fine shale, and it will deteriorate."Pete Pywar said he would welcome a better piece of equipment, but would prefer purchasing something that alsocould be used to suck up leaves and clean streets.Troutman said a better piece of equipment also would lower the number of man hours that pile up when workers have to use a weed whacker."We need to stay on top of this," Pywar said. "We need to do something this week, and we also need to find a grant that would help with the purchase." She then volunteered to make some calls to see if council could see a live demonstration of a tractor with a boom to see how well it works on the levee.Troutman also asked council to consider putting up a barrier to prevent bicyclists and dirt bikes from riding on top of thelevee."Last spring we spent countless hours to maintain the top of the levee," Troutman said. "We dumped two dump truck loads of dirt, seeded the area and strawed it, and now it's as bad or worse than it was before."Troutman said if council would provide the chain, posts and eye bolts, he would install the barriers himself."Walking onthe leveedoesn't hurt it, but the bikes and dirt bikes are a problem," Troutman said.