Landscaping contract again put on hold
The Del City Council had a split vote on a landscaping contract last week. The council plans to revisit the item at next week’s meeting. PHOTO BY ALYSSA DALLEY-SCHOFIELD
By Alyssa Dalley-Schofield
Midwest City Beacon
Del City will have to wait a little longer for a new landscaper.
The city council voted in a 2-2 on a request to hire a company to handle landscaping for city hall and other properties during a June 5 meeting.
Three companies submitted bids for the annual landscaping contract. US Lawns of OKC submitted the lowest bid of $44,348, followed by Mohawk Lawn and Landscape at $66,390, and Greenshade Trees, LLC with a bid of $116,756.
Representatives from Mohawk and US Lawns spoke during the meeting.
Mohawk is currently providing landscaping services to the city on a temporary contract.
Mayor Floyd Eason and Ward 4 councilman Kyle Gandy voted for US Lands of OKC, while Ward 3 councilmember Claudia Browne and Ward 2 councilmember Pam Finch selected Mohawk Land and Landscape.
Ward 1 councilman Michael Dean was absent, which led to the tie vote.
Finch and Browne said they both would like more time to consider the bids which ranged greatly in cost.
Following the split vote, the council tabled the item and will revisit it at the June 19 meeting. It was the second time the landscaping contract has been put on hold. The item was also tabled at the May 15 meeting.
“Our goal is to have the city looking well cared for,” said Eason. “We don’t want the impression that we don’t care about our city and we don’t care about our property.”
For the past three years, Eason said he has been displeased with the services and has fired two lawn care companies.
“We had the worst looking yard on the street now what does that say for our city when the city hall is not kept up,” said Eason.
The council has set out to improve the landscaping in Del City, not only at City Hall but at other establishments.
“We want the citizens to know that we are taking good care of their property and poor lawn care reflects poorly on the city and we want the city to project the idea that we’re taking care of things and we’re proud of our community and we want to show pride in our city hall and in our other establishments,” said Eason.
