Board approves one‑season contract with Jake’s Landscaping for high‑priority park/rec snow routes at about $45,000

The Waukesha City Board of Public Works approved a one‑season contract Nov. 6 to contract high‑priority park and recreation snow‑and‑ice removal routes to Jake’s Landscaping.

Staff said the RFP solicited proposals for three alternative service bundles — high‑priority routes (current Park/Rec routes), low‑priority Park/Rec routes and alleys — and recommended contracting only the high‑priority routes so that Park/Rec employees with commercial driver’s licenses can be reassigned to plow streets. “We’re gonna prioritize those staff onto city street snowplow routes,” Alex, a city staff member, said.

Jake’s Landscaping submitted a lump‑sum price of approximately $45,000 for the season for snow events of more than a half‑inch. Staff said the price covers the specified high‑priority sidewalks and parking lots; the contract includes hourly rates for additional work (for example, ice storms) and directs the vendor to use the city’s salt supply.

Board members raised concerns about the low bid and how the city will monitor vendor performance. One board member noted that $45,000 would not buy a single piece of heavy‑equipment used in the work, and another described known approaches — GPS/GIS verification, supervisor checks and contract enforcement — that staff can use to monitor performance. Staff said the contract will be monitored by an engineering staff member and Park/Rec supervisors, and the city will hold the contractor to contract requirements if they fail to perform.

The contract was described as a trial: staff said it is for this season and next season’s work (the RFP framed it as a seasonal award); the board approved the contract by voice vote.

What’s next: staff will monitor performance closely, and the city will evaluate the arrangement before future seasons.