Councilors at the Mentor on the Lake City Council meeting moved an appropriations amendment addressing a damaged fence, tree removals and pest control to third reading after extended debate over whether the city’s service department or outside contractors should do the work.

The ordinance on second reading would amend the 2025 appropriation to cover fence replacement and related work, including removal of trees and contracted pest control tied to the site. Council members asked for a full line-item breakdown before approving final funding so they could compare in-house labor costs and potential outsourcing expenses.

Why it matters: The ordinance would authorize city spending that affects park safety, maintenance workload and near-term service department priorities. Council members said they need clarity on whether the city saves money, and how quickly residents will get the fence replaced, before approving emergency appropriations.

Council discussion centered on two options: have the service department perform the work or hire contractors. Administration materials estimated materials at about $29,562.45 and service-department labor for five workers at roughly $21,600 for a three-week install (escalating to $28,800 for four weeks). That produces a 3-week in-house estimate of about $52,001.82 or about $59,382.45 for four weeks. The contractor quote cited in discussion was roughly $80,000.

Council members weighing the options said bringing the work in-house could free contractor dollars and use existing staff, but would divert those workers from other maintenance tasks such as pothole repair, grounds mowing and building upkeep. One councilor said staging the fence work in sections could shorten the time parts of the fence are down, but would increase equipment rental and repeated mobilization costs.

Administration noted that contracted pest-control installers could complete their scope in a week or less and provide a five-year warranty; the city’s in-house work would not include that warranty. Tree removals were described as already ordered and expected to occur within roughly three weeks, dependent on weather.

The ordinance was read on second reading and, after debate, council took no final vote on the appropriation; the item will return on third reading with requested cost breakdowns for fence, tree removal and pest-control line items.

Councilors also flagged operational concerns about service-department capacity and safety after residents described instances of service crews working without adequate traffic controls. The mayor said he would send the service department to inspect a portable restroom that a resident flagged in correspondence.

The meeting record shows that council members repeatedly asked the administration for a full comparison of the “apples-to-apples” total cost for in-house work versus contractor proposals before moving forward with an appropriation.