(Lander, WY) – City officials continued their discussion about groundskeeping services at the Lander Community and Convention Center during a work session last week.
The groundskeeping duties were removed from the facility manager contract for the community center earlier this year, when the Lander City Council asked municipal staff to pursue a separate contract for the groundskeeping portion instead.
During last week’s work session, Building Inspector Hunter Roseberry suggested using grounds standards from the Association of Physical Plan Administrators to craft the groundskeeping bid – specifically the APPA guidelines for “Level 2” or “high-level maintenance” contracts.
“From what I’m hearing, from complaints about the grounds up there, (that’s) what we want to see the community center land at,” Roseberry said.
After reviewing the APPA standards, however, Councilmember Missy White said she thought the guideline for “Level 3” or “moderate-level” maintenance was more appropriate, so Public Works Director Lance Hopkin suggested advertising two groundskeeping bids – one at each level – so the city can “get multiple prices” and “get an idea of what costs are out there.”
In the meantime, Hopkin said Roseberry has offered to cover groundskeeping duties at the convention center “as assigned.”
‘Sticker shock’
Roseberry predicted that the responses to the groundskeeping bids “are probably going to give us some sticker shock, (based on) what that looks like to maintain the grounds as they currently sit,” and Councilmember Dan Hahn agreed.
“This is going to cost the citizens a bunch of money,” Hahn said, adding, “We shouldn’t be going down this trail.”
In the future, Roseberry said the city might want to consider “updating the grounds” so the convention center property can provide more “usable space” that is easier and more cost-effective to maintain.
He also noted that the property is “12 years old,” and the building and grounds are “starting to show (their) age.”
“It’s maybe time to put some money back into that investment,” Roseberry said.
Hopkin said the topic would be discussed during upcoming “strategic planning and goals” meetings.
“You do have investments in this infrastructure, and you want to make it last,” he said. “So there will be more discussions we’ll have at a later date on that issue as well.”
For more information call the City of Lander at 332-2870.