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Maintenance department asks for staff, mower and crew-cab pickup; commissioners weigh contracting vs. hiring
Summary
Simon Tarjunas of county maintenance requested a four-door crew-cab pickup, a zero-turn mower (estimates $7,000–$20,000 depending on brand) and an additional full-time maintenance worker, saying current equipment is worn and staff rely on hand-me-downs; commissioners suggested reviewing the county's lawn contract for cost-effectiveness before adding recurring staffing costs.
Simon Tarjunas, speaking for county maintenance, described rundown equipment, daily mowing demands and recent reliance on hand-me-down vehicles. Tarjunas asked the commissioners to authorize a four-door crew-cab pickup and a self-propelled/zero-turn mower, and to approve hiring at least one full-time maintenance employee to handle mowing, building tasks and grounds upkeep.
"I love Wilson County, and I wanna beautify it. But it's hard to maintain it without personnel," Tarjunas said, describing routine responsibilities that include mowing multiple county properties, building maintenance, painting, plumbing and responding to frequent calls.
Commissioners and staff discussed trade-offs: leasing vs. purchasing, whether the county should reissue a lawn-maintenance contract, and the comparative costs of hiring (salary plus benefits) versus contracting. Commissioners asked the maintenance office to run numbers on leasing, purchase price ranges (examples given: Kubota units at around $16,000 each; commercial mowers $7,000–$12,000) and to compare those with the cost of a contracted lawn service (about $40,000 cited for the prior contract).
No action was taken; commissioners asked for cost estimates and recommended the maintenance office return with detailed figures so the court can evaluate whether equipment purchases and staffing changes are more cost-effective than contracting.
