In an effort to save money and be more efficient, the Sherburne County Board voted Tuesday to begin contracting some of its maintenance work to outside vendors.

 

The board met a week ago at a workshop with Bill Marks of the county building and facilities department to review what it costs the county each year to mow its property, and determine how much it could save by having a lawn service do the work. 

 

Administrator Steve Taylor said Commissioner Felix Schmiesing suggested looking into areas where the county could save money and resources.

“We’re at a point as we go into spring that this decision needs to be made,” said Taylor.

 

Marks presented a cost comparison showing exactly what the county spends for in-house lawn maintenance at the Government Center, the maintenance shop in Becker, two sites in Zimmerman, the veterans memorial in Becker and all county parks.

 

In 2012, the county spent $39,597, then $40,911 in 2013. That’s with seasonal laborers using county-owned equipment.

 

Marks said he received four bids from outside contractors to do the work ranging from $34,474.26 to $55,240. He said going with the low bid, Jeremy’s Lawn Service, would save the county at least $6,450 in 2015 - not including other expenses.

 

He said those costs include preventative maintenance for equipment, parts and service of equipment, fuel, training, safety equipment or full time staff who fill in when seasonal workers don’t show up for work.

 

He said there will also be new equipment needed in the near future.

 

“A lot of our lawn equipment is reaching 10 years or older,” he said, “so if we were to keep it in-house, we would have to look at replacement costs.”

 

Marks said another benefit will be keeping the regular staff doing their own jobs.

 

“It’s not distracting from the property maintenance main goals - preventive maintenance on our building and facility,” he said.  “When you have to pull somebody that you’re paying to be a tech to monitor untrained seasonal staff, that’s an invisible expense as well.”

 

On average, the maintenance staff receives between 450 to 650 preventive work orders every month, said Marks.

 

“So with our current staff, it doesn’t take much for that to get behind,” he said. “We need to keep our technicians focused on their main goal - preventive maintenance.”

 

Commissioner Ewald Petersen said local businesses need the opportunity.

 

“One of the major plusses to doing this is that were giving companies in the county an opportunity to do this work, which is certainly going to help their bottom line,” he said. “And as a commissioner I don’t know how many different people have come and said how come I never get a chance to bid on the county stuff.” 

 

Deputy Administrator Dan Weber said competitive bidding will be a priority in 2015. 

 

Schmiesing said lawn companies are better equipped to do the work at a lower cost because it’s their main business.

 

“You can understand their ability to be more efficient. They roll up in a crew cab pick-up and they have part-time help,” he said. “They put six mowers on it and two backpack blowers and then they go back to college in the fall.”

 

Commissioner Rachel Leonard was glad the county found a way not to increase its staff.

 

“It’s the reverse of letting a contractor go because you feel the county could do it cheaper,” she said. “I’m always against that because I think we’re shooting our own businesses in the foot. This is the reverse and I like it.”

 

The board unanimously approved the agreement with Jeremy’s Lawn Service.