Landscaping contract awarded

The landscaping portion of the work on the Cramahe Industrial Park improvement project was awarded on October 6 to the only company placing a bid on the project.

Baltmore-based Forest View Landscaping quoted $10,585 plus GST to build two unilock planters. The planters will be 12 feet by 8 feet. The two units will be located at the north and southeast corners of Purdy St. and Industrial Park Rd.

Forest View declined to bid on a third 4 by 6 foot wooden planter for the southwest corner of Big Apple Dr. and Purdy Rd.

The contract also calls for the supply of topsoil and plants chosen from a list provided by the township. Work is to be completed by the end of this month.

The township budgetted $16,189 for the work. Community Development Officer, Rebecca Goddard-Sarria wrote in her Oct. 6 report that the remaining $5,604 grant money will be spent by municipal staff, and the municipal gardener Jackie Baker-Smith on bedding plants.

Under the terms of the township's purchasing bylaw, approval was not required by Council as it was valued at under $20,000. The funding rules require that the money be spent of forfeited.

A request for written quotes was sent out by email to Forest View and four other contractors chosen by the Community Development Officer.

In an email to Cramahe Now following the Oct. 6 meeting, Ms. Goddard-Sarria listed the other companies she contacted.

According to the Community Development Officer, Cressman Tree Maintenance & Landscaping Ltd. planned to put a quote in, but nothing was received.

Naturescape did not choose to forward quote.

Phil Little Landscape Design Build Contractors declined to forward quote because he was too busy to schedule project

The fourth was N. Groeneveld Landscaping.

Councillor Ed Van Egmond asked at the October 6 meeting why the township chose only to invite quotes, rather than put the job out for open bidding.

Ms. Goddard-Sarria replied, "We look at all possible service providers and seek quotes. With landscapers it's a challenge as they provide a variety of services." She continued, We needed a high degree of landscaping under the scope of services. We require a backhoe. Not all landscapers provide (what we need)."

Ms. Goddard-Sarria added that normally she would "go out and get more quotes", but, in this case, the township was operating under tight timelines. All work on the funded project must be doone by March, 2010.

During press question period, and again in a meeting with the Community Development Officer and CAO, Christie Alexander, the question of buying locally was raised.

Ms. Goddard-Sarria responded at coouncil, stating that anyone local can advise the township if they are in the business.

Mayor Marc Coombs added that it was the responsibility of businesses to let the municipality know what they do.

Asked a week later for clarification of the mayor's statement,, Ms. Alexander said that larger municipalities keep a bidders list. Occasionally the township gets letters from people advising what they do. She wondered aloud about the definitiion of "local", adding that the township tries to deal with people close by.

At the same meeting, Ms. Goddard-Sarria reinforced her previous statement, commenting, "The onus is on businesses to drive for their own business.

In a final email submission from Cramahe Now on Oct. 16, Ms. Goddard-Sarria was asked why the Brighton company which was contracted to do the unilock work on the clock in Colborne wasn't contacted about this job.

She replied, "The unilock for the clock was arranged by Dan O’Brien who is the Director of Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services. My position is Community Development (Economic Development, Tourism, Community Development projects). I report to Christie Alexander as of January of this year."