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Council delays award of citywide landscape maintenance contract; staff asked to study in‑house alternative
Summary
Council members continued consideration of a proposed citywide landscape maintenance contract after questions about bidder selection, scoring and cost; staff will return July 1 with analysis of an in‑house option and cost comparisons.
The City Council voted on Tuesday to continue consideration of a professional services agreement for citywide landscape maintenance (consent item 12E1) and asked staff to return July 1 with a comparison of contracting versus performing the work in‑house.
Council member Flores asked whether other bidders submitted lower bids and raised constituent complaints about neglected landscaping in the city’s south area. Recreation and Parks Director Posada said the Southeast landscape district will be maintained by city crews because it is financially underfunded; staff recommended awarding the contract to JD Heumann Company based on quality, responsiveness and references despite a higher bid price. Posada said the firm employs about 25 full‑time staff and that staff receives relatively few direct complaints about the company’s work.
Council member Flores said she did not support awarding a large contract to a private firm without further review. Several council members asked staff to analyze the cost of performing the work in‑house, including impacts on staffing, liability and permits, and to return at the council’s next meeting.
City attorney Thomas Watson noted that if the council intends to reject the apparent low bidder and re‑solicit, staff may need to rebid; staff clarified the council’s request was for additional information and not a rejection. The motion to continue the item to the July 1 meeting carried on a roll call: Council member Aguilera Hernandez Aye; Council member Flores Aye; Mayor Pro Tem Puerto Escobedo Aye; Mayor Patino No. The vote continued the matter and preserved the existing bid record for staff review.
