Council was expected to vote whether to authorize City Manager Larry Lester to enter into a contract with Brightview Landscapes, LLC., of Monroe, for the interchange landscape maintenance.
The cost of the one-year contract is $49,343 and effective through Dec. 31, 2026 with renewal options up to four additional one-year extensions.
A one-time 5% increase may be applied in the fourth and fifth contract years, according to city documents.
Public Works Director Gary Morton said the city received several bids and Brightview’s proposal was $17,000 less than the city paid last year.
The appearance of the 75/63 interchange is important because it shows the city’s “ongoing commitment to maintaining safe, attractive, and well-kept public infrastructure along key transportation corridors,” according to city documents. “This interchange serves as a primary gateway into the community and its appearance directly reflects on the city.”
Before the vote was taken, council members Jordan Brown and Todd Hickman questioned why the city was contracting out the maintenance at the intersection and other parts of the city.
Brown asked why the public works department doesn’t handle the upkeep at the 75/63 interchange.
“We got the staff and equipment, right?” he asked.
Morton said the department doesn’t have the staff to handle the maintenance at the interchange that includes an extensive irrigation system.
“We would not have the time to take that on,” Morton said.
Brown and Hickman also raised concerns why the city needs to contract for mowing services when it mows property in Lemon Twp.
Morton said the city mows roadside areas in Lemon Twp., every other week, once a month, or toward the end of the season, every two months.
Brown and Hickman asked the public works department to provide city council a cost analysis for all maintenance the department provides in Lemon Twp.
“Our focus should be on city maintenance before anything else,” Brown said.
“This Lemon Twp. stuff needs to go,” Hickman said.
Brown then proposed tabling the legislation until a cost analysis could be provided and reviewed by the seven members of council.
Mayor Keith Funk said he wasn’t “a fan” of postponing city business.
Council members Tom Hagedorn, Molly Cloyd, Brown, and Hickman, a majority, voted to table the legislation until at least the next council meeting on March 10.
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