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HSVPOA Board and Staff Discuss Grounds Maintenance Contract

Wiley Updates Board on Welcome Home Property Services Contract

At the January 5, 2022 Board Discussion Session a new Grounds Maintenance Contract was presented by Parks and Recreation Manager, Terry Wiley.

Manager Wiley stated that $64,200 was approved in the 2022 budget to aid the Parks and Recreation grounds maintenance team with its work. This is needed due to a shortage of workers.

Normally, full staff for the grounds and maintenance crew consists of 11 people plus the Grounds Crew Manager, Norman Meredith. Currently, there are only 4 HSVPOA employees plus Meredith, on staff.

Parks and Recreation Division Manager, Terry Wiley said that the POA team is focusing on amenities such as The Woodlands and Coronado Center, to name a couple. The POA is contracting out the grounds work including the gates, lakes, administration building, and police department. Welcome Home Property Services was awarded the bid. This company also works at Diamante. Only two out of five vendors showed interest in bidding on the contract.

Interim General Manager, John Paul, stated, “This is something we have to look at more and more because not only are we having trouble hiring people,” it is often more economical to contract out the work. “An ROI must be done on everything and sometimes it makes more sense to contract out the work rather than hire people,” explained the GM.

Paul continued, “Right now, they are going this way for the current year.”

Chair Joanie Corry asked, “Does that mean we do not need to replace those workers?”

Paul responded, “I think we need to wait and see how this goes this year”… and whether the POA continues to have trouble hiring staff for these jobs. All 11 grounds crew positions will not be filled this year. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Paul said, “If we know someone is a good worker, we will probably hire them.” But the POA will still make sure it comes in on budget in this area.

Board Director, Pam Avila asked, “Since basically this contract is replacing or covering seven workers, what is the difference in the payment we would be putting out for those seven workers, versus this contract?”

Wiley replied, “If I am not mistaken, we would be saving about $10,000 over the two full-time employees it would take. Where right now, we have 11. If this works out, we can get by with 9. This money [$64,200 for the Welcome Home Property Services contract] replaces two full-time positions. I believe those two positions would be about $72,000 or $74,000.” This amount includes benefits.

Controller Coreena Fetterhoff said that it makes more sense to contract this work than to hire POA staff.

Paul said that Welcome Home Property Services does a good job at Diamante.

Corry asked, “What about the fire department? I didn’t notice them on the contract. Is that an omission?” The answer was the Fire Department does its own mowing.

By Cheryl Dowden, January 7, 2022

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