City Contracts Out Landscaping Work

Landscaping work in Tinley Park, Ill. will be contracted out due to budget restraints, allowing for the village's public works department to concentrate on major projects.

The trend of municipalities to contract out landscaping work continues, as Tinley Park, Ill. will relinquish these duties.

With a hiring freeze that has left the department of public works short-handed, director Dale Schepers said having an outside business take care of mowing and landscaping this season will let its more skilled workers tackle a backlog of projects.

''We have a fairly substantial backlog of infrastructure work that needs to be done, particularly storm sewer repairs,'' he said. ''We have the equipment, we don't have an abundance of people.''

Instead of absorbing new landscaping responsibilities following the completion of the 183rd Street expansion project, village trustees agreed to contract out the work, along with state and county Right of Ways traditionally maintained by the village. These additional projects were added to landscaping maintenance of village owned properties already maintained by contractors.

The village board approved a contract with Twin Oaks Landscaping of Oswego, Ill. to take over landscape maintenance for $40,664, a price far below the village's estimate of $193,100.

After checking with the business to verify a bid so far below estimates, Schepers said Twin Oaks officials explained they purposely gave a low price for the work because they are hoping to establish themselves in the area.

The highest bid was $96,385. Schepers said a competitive market resulting from the economic downturn also played a role in the lower bids.

In hopes of capitalizing on the lower price, trustees agreed to bid out the remainder of its mowing responsibilities, which includes work that requires larger tractors, Schepers said.