Columbus City Council proceeds with plan to outsource mowing duties

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – After a number of debates and delays, the Columbus City Council decided to move forward with a plan to outsource mowing duties along Highway 82.

Earlier this year, the city put out a request for proposals for grass cutting around the exits off Highway 82 and the straightaway between the rear of Leigh Mall and the highway.

S & S Landscaping of Columbus came in with the lowest bid of $75,000 a year to handle the chore every two weeks.

But when it came time to vote on the matter a couple of meetings back, the council did not accept the bid and returned the job to Public Works for the time being.

Mayor Keith Gaskin went before the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors Monday to ask if they would share the cost if the contract could win council approval. Supervisors agreed to fund half the cost for a year since they can’t bind an incoming board.

An amended version of the contract was presented. It would outsource the job for one year at $75,000, the original contract would have locked that rate in for three years.

It passed unanimously.

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