Council weighs $147,900 cemetery mowing contract versus adding staff; residents urge clearer enforcement of ordinances

Council considered background and updates for a proposed mowing contract and whether to hire additional staff to meet cemetery maintenance needs. The contract is height‑based (maximum mowing height cited at roughly 3–3.5 inches) and was estimated under optimal conditions to require about 34 cuts per season; staff said the contract price includes contingency and line‑item bases used in the RFP evaluation.

A public commenter who identified concerns about the cemetery’s upkeep (referred to in the record as Addie) said the cemetery looked much better after recent mowing but noted many individual markers, decorations and tall grass in fenced areas and asked whether the city is enforcing cemetery ordinances. The commenter said the city previously had a sexton who performed certain duties and questioned whether a contract would cover removing faded flowers, trinkets or broken items the ordinance prohibits.

Finley and staff discussed RFP responses and bidders’ willingness to honor original pricing; staff said some bids were only valid for 30 days and that costs have generally risen. Staff outlined pros and cons of contractor versus in‑house staffing: contractors bring equipment and capacity, while in‑house staff provide greater control and institutional knowledge but require investment in equipment and potentially higher labor costs. Staff recommended starting with one additional full‑time employee and evaluating ramp‑up to another position in spring rather than immediately spending the entire contingency amount.

Council asked staff to return with a ramp‑up plan that includes first‑year staffing costs, equipment needs and a clear list of tasks the city would expect a contractor to perform versus staff responsibilities. No motion or contract award was made at the meeting.