Grounds Contracts Down, Custodial Contracts Up In Central Frontenac

Apr 17, 2024

It’s that time of year again when Central Frontenac Council awards the grounds maintenance and custodial services contracts.

Generally, it’s a rubber stamp process with Council accepting the lowest bid unless there are some extenuating circumstances.

But at the April 9 Council meeting in Sharbot Lake, there was a lot more discussion than in many years.

It began with the awarding of the grounds maintenance contracts.

Coun. Lynn Klages noted that many of the prices were lower than last year.

Public Works Manager Steve Gould offered that even though they’ve added to the scope of the contracts, there seems to be more competition this year.

The contracts were awarded as follows.

The Kennebec contract was awarded to Kennebec Tree & Lawn in the amount of $13,200

The Olden contract was awarded to Hamilton Carpentry in the amount of $11,450

The Oso contract was awarded to Hamilton Carpentry in the amount of $26,800

The Hinchinbrooke contract was awarded to Hamilton Carpentry in the amount of $10,450.

“Last year, when we awarded the contracts, we were encouraged not to award more than one or two contracts to any one contractor (three awarded this year to Hamilton Carpentry) because we’d just be setting them up for failure,” said Coun. Nicki Gowdy.

“Last year was a new contractor and they were worried he couldn’t handle all four districts,” said Gould. “Hamilton Carpentry is the one contractor we knew could handle all of it.

“It was mainly about price.”

Coun. Phillip Smith wondered about what would trigger the included option to extend the contract for another year.

“We’re going to keep a log of complaints,” said Gould. “If we get a lot of complaints, we won’t extend.

“I think it would be better if they were two or three- year contracts because people could get better equipment if they knew they had work for two or three years.”

Coun. Cindy Kelsey noted that the Kennebec award was not the lowest tender.

“That tender was incomplete so we went with the next lowest,” said Gould.

“We’ll soon be ready to cut grass because the mosquitoes are here and they’ll be looking for some hiding spots,” said Mayor Frances Smith.

The awarding of custodial services touched off a much longer debate. For example, the lowest bid for cleaning Kennebec Hall and the Arden Library was $8,000 from Elaine Flieler. The budget had been set at $4,000.

“I notice most of the bids were over budget,” said Coun. Duncan McGregor. “And I wonder if there’s any way to change the scope of the tender to put us into budget.”

“I don’t think you can go back and re-tender once the bids have been reviewed and one’s been awarded,” said CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn.

“If you add up all the contracts, it’s $19,500 over budget,” said Klages. “That’s not just a little amount, that’s substantial.”

“You can set a budget but these halls get used a lot and unless you’re going to stop renting the halls, that’s the only way to reduce costs,” said Mayor Smith. “You’re not going to get a cleaner to do it for nothing.”

“The first tender I was involved in was Henderson Road,” said McGregor. “It came in over budget and the public works manager renegotiated and in came in under budget.”

“When you’re dealing with a roads contract, you can go back and say ‘let’s cut out this and let’s cut out that,’” said Mayor Smith. “When it’s custodial services, what are you going to say, ‘only clean it when the floor is really, really dirty?’

“And you can’t reissue the same tender, what are you going to change?”

“I just added up all the tenders and it’s just shy of $80,000,” said Coun. Smith. “How would that apply to an employee position?”

“They could never do it all,” said Mayor Smith.

Council approved the Olden contract to Elaine Flieler for $6,000 and the Oso contract (which also includes the Municipal Office, Library, Soldiers Memorial Hall and the outside of the medical centre to Cassandra Vinkle for $45,650.

Staff had recommended the Hinchinbrooke contract be awarded to Clean Sweep Cleaning Service for $12,069.96 but Gowdy protested.

“Basically we’ve awarded these on cost but we’ve had nothing but complaints about Clean Sweep,” Gowdy said. “I would rather see us spend another $600 and have somebody that’s going to clean the halls to the degree they need to be cleaned.”

Council agreed and awarded the contract to Cassandra Vinkle for $12,675.