By Jim Bloch
The city of St. Clair has agreed to a $79,920 contract with J & J Lawn and Landscape, LLC for 2024.
The contract includes $67,920 for mowing and cleanup services and $12,000 for new beautification work.
The city council voted to approve the deal at its regular meeting Sept. 18.
“These are really renewals to agreements we already had in place,” said City Supervisor Quentin Bishop, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on YouTube. “We felt that J & J met the standard of our expectations.”
The company is based in St. Clair Township.
The existing contract includes cutting, trimming and edging the lawns at the community center on Trumbull, city hall, the boat harbor, the sewer plant, the water plant, Patrick Sinclair Park, Rotary Park, the library and fire hall, Hillside Cemetery and Klecha Park, the skate and bike park, Greig Park, the Spring Street pump station, the median on Trumbull west of M-29, the end of Cedar St. to the seawall and the vacant lot on Oakland Ave. for a total of $47,840. Spring cleanup adds $3,875 and fall cleanup adds $8,075 to the total. Shrub trimming and cleanup at 13 of those locations adds $6,300. The fertilizing of five parks increases the final amount by $1,830.
That brought the annual total to $67,920,
“We did add to the services ‘beautification’,” said Bishop.
Beautification consists of maintaining the flower beds at Diamond Pointe Park, Sinclair Park, the Bloch Memorial Garden, library, city hall, cemetery, Trumbull median, community center, Greig Park and the five welcome-to-St. Clair signs.
Beautification added $12,000 to the contract, bringing the total to near $80,000.
“When we brought (J & J) in and asked them to take on the beautification contract, it was early in the spring and I would just say that their response to what we needed done, their ability to adapt as things changed … I thought they did a fantastic job for the city of St. Clair,” Bishop said.
“I agree,” said city council member Micah Volz. “These folks do a really nice job. Were there any ditches added to this list? Are we mowing any ditches?”
“No,” said Bishop.
“From what I understand, the city of St. Clair is looking at maintaining ditches for private residents,” Volz said. “Why don’t we have this company do it instead of the city?”
“I hadn’t thought about that actually,” said Bishop.
“Do we currently mow any ditches in the city?” asked Volz.
“We currently mow the ditch on Carney Drive,” said Bishop.
“Just a thought,” said Volz.
The council voted 6-0 to renew the contract with J and J. Council member Mitch Kuffa was absent.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
