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Council directs staff to rewrite turf‑replacement rebate language to consider labor costs
Summary
Vice Mayor Cindy Fossey asked staff to amend the turf‑replacement rebate to allow labor costs to be reimbursable within the existing $2,000 cap; council asked staff to return with clearer language, options to vet installers, and cost estimates.
Vice Mayor Cindy Fossey and other councilmembers discussed proposed amendments to the turf replacement rebate program that would allow labor costs to be included in the rebate calculation while maintaining the program cap (currently $2,000 per applicant).
Fossey said residents have declined to apply when labor costs push total project costs well above material costs; she proposed removing the exclusion of turf‑installation labor from reimbursable items and changing the application so rebate amounts cannot exceed the products and labor used in the conversion.
Other councilmembers raised concerns that labor cost estimates can be subjective and suggested alternative approaches: require multiple quotes, vet installers through an RFP, or develop a partnership program with qualified local installers so labor costs are standardized. Staff said the city typically reimburses materials from a small set of regional vendors and that adding labor could increase administrative complexity.
Council gave direction for staff to work with Vice Mayor Fossey to draft amended language and return with proposed changes that limit staff burden and consider vendor vetting or average labor estimates before placing the amendment on a future agenda.
