Meridian looks to outsource grass cutting
May 1—The Meridian City Council is weighing a proposal to outsource grass cutting along interstate interchanges throughout the city after learning it will likely cost less and be cut more than handling it in house.
In a work session Tuesday, Assistant Public Works Director Mike Van Zandt said the city put the service out for bid and planned to ask the council to move funds around via a budget amendment to allow the project to go forward.
The proposed amendment, he said, would move $775,710 from Special Projects Legislative, which is a fund controlled by the City Council, to Special Projects Streets, which is the account that the city would use to pay the contract.
Contracting out grass cutting was factored in to the city's 2024 fiscal year budget, but the council moved the funding, along with funding for a number of other projects, to its own legislative fund to keep departments from moving ahead without the council's consent. Moving the funding back to the proper departments requires the council to pass a budget amendment.
The council, however, does not have to approve the full $775,000 if that is too much, Van Zandt said, as the cost of the contract is based on a per acre price. The recommended vendor, Weaver Management, he said, quoted a price of $169 per acre, and the city can alter the number of acres to fit its budget.
"I can reduce the number of acres they cut, but I cannot change the cost per acre," he said.
The exact cost of the contract has yet to be calculated as the total acreage of the interstate interchanges hasn't been measured exactly. The $775,710 figure is a working estimate that came from rough calculations using the interchanges' geometry and maps, Van Zandt explained. If the contract is approved, he said, the sites will be surveyed to know the exact acreage.
However, the cost per acre is a reasonable price based on the current market, he said.
"That's pretty much in line with what people are paying around the state," he said.
Although expensive, Van Zandt said the contract is still cheaper than having city crews do the work, and residents will likely get a better result.
Estimates put together for the annual budget process in September showed the city of Meridian spent roughly $1.5 million and used 11 employees to cut interstate interchanges over the previous year. The city was able to cut each interchange three times throughout the growing season, he said.
On the other hand, Weaver will cut the interchanges about every three weeks to maintain grass between 4-6 inches in height. That works out to about 10 cuts throughout the season, which usually begins in April and stretches into October or November, he said.
In addition to the savings in manpower and equipment, Van Zandt said the city currently has four of its 11 grass cutting positions filled, and contracting out the service will eliminate the need for the remaining seven slots. The funding budgeted for those employees — roughly $140,000 — can then be redirected toward other needs.
Contracting out the grass cutting will also likely free up some of the city's equipment for use in other areas or to be declared surplus and sold.
Contact Thomas Howard at thoward@themeridianstar.com
