Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/166173
Sarasota News Leader September 6, 2013 Page 58 Robinson told her colleagues that when she returned in August from a vacation out of state, she deliberately chose to detour through a number of Florida counties so she could look at their mowing situations. "We definitely have a higher standard than any other county I drove through once I entered Florida," she noted. During the public comments portion of the Aug. 28 meeting, Brigitte Campfield of JLC Hauling Inc. — which does business with the county as Mega Mowers — told the board, "We did not find the contractor specs [for mowing] to be hard to read at all. You mow; you edge; you weed-eat; you pick up garbage; and you blow. As long as you're accounting for all your costs in that, we had no problem "I'm not saying we shouldn't have those stan- with the contract." dards," she added. However, she said, "We just kind of feel like "You pay for that," Patterson responded. we're always getting shorted on all of these contracts. We are never the lowest bidder, During his initial presentation to the board on because we feel we bid appropriately for the Aug. 27, Anderson said of the contract issues, work … We come in and save you guys. This "I believe they are the result of our low-bid is our second or third time coming in after a process." failed contract. … We get everything done on "We do our best to evaluate their resources time; our work passes, and we never get a full as far as staff and equipment and their ability contract." to produce a schedule that shows us they can Campfield added, "We work very hard for you get the job done," he continued, referring to guys, and we do not feel the loyalty in return." vendors. "But in the end, we cannot run the Finally, Patterson made the motion to acbusiness for them." cept Anderson's recommendation to award Other Florida counties comparable to Sara- the four new contracts. However, she said, sota are experiencing similar problems, he "It's my intent that somewhere during [the pointed out. "So this is somewhat of a sys- next 12 months], we figure out a way to lowtematic-type process with the low bidders …" er the costs." % QUICK TIP Share stories by clicking the icon in the menubar and choosing to share via e-mail, post to Facebook or Twitter, or many other sharing options.