City Contracts Out Landscaping Services

A landscape contractor will maintain City parks in Merced, Calif. after the city council approved a professional services agreement with the company.

Merced, Calif. is joining a growing number of municipalities that have decided to contract out landscaping services.

The Merced City Council recently voted to a professional service agreement with Yard Masters to provide landscaping, mowing and edging maintenance services for city parks. This decision resulted in the layoff of 36 city workers.

The company will provide landscaping services to the city for about $15,750 a month. Stan Murdock, director of public works operations, said the decision could save the city upward of $220,000 a year. According to a report put out by Murdock, it would cost the city $411,000 to continue the use of city employees.

“(Yard Masters) have a reputation for doing good work, and they submitted the lowest bid,” Murdock said.

Yard Masters was selected over eight companies, including Clean Cut Landscape, Odyssey Landscape Company Inc. and Marcos Landscaping.