Jacoby Park is among the city parks now being maintained by a private contractor, rather than by city employees. The move to outsource parks and right of way maintenance was precipitated by the City Council’s decision to trim the city’s employee count in anticipation of the sale of Vero Electric.
According to Public Works Director Monty Falls, the outsourced mowing work was costing approximately $120,000 a year. An Orlando company was the lowest bidder and is doing the work, or not doing the work, for less than half that amount.
Indian River Guardian 
Out sourcing can work. A local company is responsible for some county functions and it works fine. Hiring a landscape maintenance company from 120 miles away was a dumb idea. It doesn’t take a genius to see that. I have an idea. Hire a local mowing company that lives near each of these parks or right of ways and split them up. Including all of the Non-irrigated properties, regardless of size or scope,in one bid, was destined to fail. Do you have to send RFP’s statewide. I can’t beleive you can’t find a local guy with a bush hog to mow the old golf course. If he owns the equipment, he is not going to destroy it on the first days like these knuckleheads did. Actually, they destroyed two. Why is everything so complicated around here.
Also, with all this rain, the city guys would be behind in their mowing,
also. Monte has assured us that the new crew won’t get paid for work that is not done, so additional savings, there. Lets give Monte the benefit of the doubt on this. He really is pretty sharp. Its not like those parks were Disney World to start with. 60 grand is a lot of savings.
I would offer to mow those parks for a whole lot less – and NOT do them equally as well. We have (or did have) something like 400 lawn services in this area – some come from Ft. Pierce to do upscale properties in our county. Yes, I think we could have found some licensed, insured folks here who could do the work. And yes the weather is always a factor but being closer to the job site makes for better use of dry time available. I agree Monte is good at what he does. Still, withholding payment when work isn’t done doesn’t change the fact that the work wasn’t done. In addition, if our remaining City property maintenance people are working only on “the other side of the tracks”–the upper class side, so to speak, that irritates me and smacks of more elitist garbage. But in the scheme of things, what does it matter?
Outsourcing essential recurring government funds is the most expensive means of getting work done and it is also the most vulnerable to waste, fraud and abuse.
Effective outsourching mandates far more extensive oversight than is necessary with paid staff. That plus the costs of the competitive process itself create costs that are hidden from the taxpayers.
It is a very rate phenomena when outsourcing has produced a better product at a cheaper price.
the city would have to screen the potential bidders for use of illegal immigrants and per the aca they would have to be insuring the full timers. so how much money is going to be saved?
You are correct, Pat, and there is little Monte can do when you have a signed contract but the contractor doesn’t do work that is even adequate much less good. Withhold some payments, then go to court to “discuss” a resolution, etc. etc. Little control even if you use local contractors. Keeping jobs in-house is always better in the long run, you ensure quality employess with good credentials, easier to coordinate jobs with other departments [if you are mowing and need help with a water main or irrigation problem, e.g.].
What if you need a mowing for a special event? You have to wait in line, you have to pay extra, it’s not done correctly, on and on.
Having control of local gov’t functions and keeping experienced and loyal employees are some of the blessings of living in a small town. We are handing all our blessings away.
the parks deparment has its won irrigation crew. I have seen them at troy moody park and elsewhere.
outsourcing the non irrigated areas for mowing will save 60,000 dollars per year. that is a lot of savings. That is also 4 less employees that we would not have to pay benefits to. It is worth a try, just use local subcontractors.The irrigated parks are still maintained by the city crew.
60,000 dollars a year could pay health insurance for the entire city council. I’m guessing that within a half mile of each of these city parks
lives a competent yardman who would love to have the account. Oversight would be handled by residents who are quick to call city hall, even when their own properties look worse.
The spellcheck did not catch my err. I meant the city parks department has one crew for irrigation only.