Belleville DDA bids out park grass cutters, gets rid of city DPW crew

The Belleville Downtown Development Authority voted unanimously at its regular meeting Aug. 17 to hire Pioneer Landscaping to cut its parklands instead of the city of Belleville DPW crew for the rest of this season.
Pioneer’s quote was almost half that of the DPW and much lower than all the other quotes.
Now the DDA will be able to deduct the grass cutting fee it pays to the city and reduce the amount in its budget that goes for maintenance. The previous district maintenance agreement has expired and the city and DDA are negotiating for a new agreement.
The city has been waiting for an updated 2016-17 DDA budget since before the new fiscal year started on July 1. The DDA indicated it needed to get its grass bids before it could finalize its budget.
DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson got five price quotes, including one from the DPW, for the cutting of grass at Village Park, Victory Park, Horizon Park, and Doane’s Landing.
Pioneer currently has the DDA contract to plant and weed the flowers in the DDA district, Thompson said, and the city is very satisfied with their work.
The quotes were:
• Pioneer Landscaping of Van Buren Township – Village Park, $330 per cut; Victory Park, $55 per cut; Horizon Park, $50 per cut; and Doane’s Landing, $25 per cut, for a total of $460 per week.
• City of Belleville – Village Park, $640 per cut; Victory Park, $60 per cut; Horizon Park, $50 per cut; Doane’s Landing $40 per cut for a total of $800 per week.
• Bizzie Bee of Belleville – Village Park, $800 per cut; Victory Park, $200 per cut; Horizon Park, $175 per cut; Doane’s Landing, $150 per cut, for a total of $1,325 per week.
• Weise’s Lawn Care of Van Buren Township – Village Park, $1,125 per cut; Victory Park, $85 per cut; Horizon Park, $64 per cut; Doane’s Landing, $55 per cut, for a total of $1,329 per week.
• Matt Lee’s Lawn Service – Village Park, $1,250 per cut; Victory Park, $50 per cut; Horizon Park, $50 per cut; Doane’s Landing $25 per cut, for a total of $1,375 per week.
The quote specifications called for a mowing once a week until the second week in October, but the city may adjust the schedule as needed.
DDA president Rosemary Loria explained the reason the DDA went out for price quotes.
“The city is short on staff and this is to help the city,” she said. “We want to make an honest effort to help out, not only their budget but ours.”
DDA member Jim Higgerson said there was quite a difference in price quotes. DDA Treasurer Sabrina Richardson Williams agreed, pointing out some were almost $1,000 more.
Thompson said Building Official Rick Rutherford called Pioneer after looking at its low quote and they guaranteed these prices for this year.
Higgerson pointed out Pioneer was less in all categories.
“The whole reason we did this is to help the city and our budget,” president Loria said. “… We have bid the landscape work in downtown and Pioneer is always the lowest.”
DDA members agreed they would review how everything’s been done by Pioneer after the season is over.
Kelly Bates, president of the Victoria Commons Homeowners Association, said the edging that has been done at Village Park this summer has been really bad, with the DPW just going as close as they can with the mowers and damaging the trees.
Loria said DDA members went out after last month’s meeting to look at the parks and Higgerson said members can go out and check on the work.
Loria said Pioneer offered to give the DDA this same price for next year. She said the cutting season is May through the • second week of October.
In other business at the 34-minute meeting on Aug. 17, the DDA:
• Heard Thompson report that some repairs have been made and some repairs still need to be made at the canoe/kayak launch. She said the sign retrieved from the lake could not be used as a replacement because it was bent when vandals pulled it out of its location. She said about $1,934 has been spent of the $2,400 allocated for repairs. An insurance claim has been filed and the DDA will pay the deductible, she said;
• Received copies of the DIA Inside/Out Artfinder Map that shows where Detroit Institute of Arts artworks are located throughout the DDA district. Members also receive a draft copy of 15 events planned for the month of October to celebrate BooVille. Thompson said the list is constantly changing as new events are added.