CDA approves contract to consolidate downtown planter boxes

The Community Development Authority voted April 9 to consolidate downtown planter boxes and hire David Frank Landscape Company to install and maintain 41 larger planters.

Kevin Short, assistant director of the parks department, told the board he and staff inventoried 74 planter boxes installed over the past two seasons and found wide variation in size, condition and irrigation reliability. "For those of you that don't know, my name is Kevin Short. I'm assistant director, in parks department for our field services," he said, describing damaged boxes, vehicle strikes and a mix of concrete pads and brick placements that complicate watering and maintenance.

Short said staff solicited quotes from multiple contractors and recommended moving to 41 consolidated planters to improve visual impact and reduce maintenance burdens. He also described a two-step approach: a contractor (B and E Construction) would first move or remove boxes as needed, followed by a planting contract for the consolidated set. "This gives us the ability to have 41 to move things around a little bit so that we're, we have all what we consider good or fair condition," he said.

Board members discussed vendor choices, local firms’ performance and whether the city should accept the lowest responsive bid when proposals were equivalent. The Chair moved to accept the David Frank Landscape Company proposal to install and maintain the consolidated planters; Jen seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote.

Staff will coordinate removal of broken or ill-placed planters and oversee the staged work to consolidate the downtown planting into larger boxes that staff said should be easier to water and maintain. The board did not attach additional funding conditions to the motion; staff had recommended the selected company based on meeting the project requirements and the bid proposals.

The meeting then moved on to the CDA’s event sponsorship grant applications.