Akron committee approves placing three-year green infrastructure maintenance contract on consent agenda

The Public Service Committee on an administrative voice vote placed a three‑year maintenance contract for Akron’s green infrastructure stormwater sites on the consent agenda.

The measure, described by Chris, the city’s public service director, "This legislation will allow us to bid and award the green, infrastructure sites, maintenance moving forward." The committee was told the work covers above‑ground landscaping upkeep and cleaning of underground stormwater structures at several sites, including Kelly Green on Biddicker Street, two sites on Kelly at Chittenden and Weeks, the Merriman site on Merriman Road, and a green infrastructure area near Fire Station 2 called Middlebury Green.

The nut of the measure is that the city will contract annual maintenance for three years at $80,000 per year. Committee staff said there will be two types of contractors: one for mowing, weeding and above‑ground landscape management, and another to clean and service the underground holding structures. Chris said the watershed staff will manage and provide oversight and that "for the next 3 years, we're gonna manage it within house staff, and then the work will be performed by contractors." He also said the watershed team is expanding duties and working with staff (Jessica Glocheski and Emily Collins) to possibly take over maintenance in the future.

Committee members had no substantive objections during the item and the chair called the voice vote; members answered "Aye" and the item was placed on the consent agenda for the next council session. No formal roll‑call votes or contract awards occurred in committee; the ordinance as read would authorize the director of public service or a designee to publicly advertise, bid and enter contracts and declares an emergency.

The discussion distinguished short‑term contracting for operations from a longer plan to bring maintenance in‑house: staff said contractors will perform work while city watershed personnel provide oversight and evaluate taking over the work after the three‑year term.

Details in committee included the list of sites to be maintained, the contract length and annual budget, and the city’s intention to preserve oversight authority while evaluating a staff takeover. The committee did not amend the ordinance; it recommended placement on the consent agenda for council action.