The Mill Creek Special Service Area (SSA) matters were approved by the administration committee on Aug. 15, authorizing a one-year extension for holiday lights, increasing landscape and tree-maintenance funds, and adding money for sidewalk trip-hazard removal. Committee members said the work is paid entirely from SSA funds and that the increases respond to requests from the SSA advisory body.

The committee authorized a one-year extension with It's a Wonderful Light for holiday lights and decor at $10,860; approved an augmentation to the Langton Group landscape contract (originally $160,000) to add funds for tree and landscape work requested by the SSA advisory board; and authorized an increase to Precision Concrete Company Inc.'s sidewalk trip-hazard contract by $30,000 to allow more cutting/grinding work in Mill Creek’s sidewalks.

Why it matters: Mill Creek SSA manages landscaping, lighting and sidewalk safety in the subdivision; the committee said increased funding responds to identified maintenance needs, liability concerns and advisory-board direction.

Details and debate: Roger Fonstock, executive director, said the holiday-light contract is a multi-year bid and that administrative overhead is paid within the SSA budget: “This is entirely paid by SSA funds.” He said the SSA follows county procurement ordinances and that administrative overhead for SSA services is a line item in the SSA budget.

On landscape funding, Fonstock said the advisory body requested additional tree work and that the Langton Group contract was the result of a formal bid. On sidewalks, he said cutting or grinding trip hazards has proved to be more cost-effective than mud jacking and that the county increased the contract to address areas where residents had been injured and where claims had occurred.

Questions from committee members focused on unit pricing for holiday wreaths and whether the listed amounts were unit or extended costs; staff agreed to follow up offline to confirm whether amounts shown were unit prices or extended totals. Committee Member Daniel Royall asked whether landscape work is mostly contracted out; Fonstock said Mill Creek’s landscape work is predominantly contracted.

Outcome and follow-up: All Mill Creek items passed by recorded roll calls; staff will provide unit-cost clarifications for specific holiday items and continue implementing the expanded sidewalk-tripping program and additional tree work as requested by the SSA advisory body.

Ending: The measures are budgeted from Mill Creek SSA funds; staff said there is another possible one-year extension available for the holiday lights contract and that the SSA advisory body continues to set scope and priorities for the work.