Sands Point board discusses landscaping plan for the Village Club

The Island Now
Mayor Edward Adler at February board meeting. (Photo by Sarah Ibrahim)

By Sarah Ibrahim 

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Sands Point Board of Trustees, there was some conflict and confusion about Resolution 21 to solicit bids on a new five-year landscaping plan for the Village Club of Sands Point.

This resolution is a departure from past practices since there is yearly maintenance done to the Village Club and golf course.

Deputy Mayor Lynn R. Najman, who also serves as building commissioner, said the five- year plan was chosen for “continuity and for the associated cost savings.”

Trustee Peter A. Forman said he wanted to know why the landscaping would be better if completed by a third party rather than the grounds staff and questioned whether there was time sensitivity involved in approving the bid.

Mayor Ed Adler indicated that since spring was fast approaching, it was important to take action on the matter.

Najman, followed up by saying the landscaping plan was not something she believed the grounds staff would have the capacity to handle.

Ethan Johnson, golf course superintendent, said many golf courses were taking the five-year-contract route, as it was more affordable than hiring a horticulturist and staff to maintain the plants on and around the golf course.

Forman said the resolution should indicate that the five-year plan includes contracts for both landscaping and maintenance, and as such the bids should be set up as separate architectural bids and labor bids.

As for bids that deal with both, Forman said that after signing an architectural contract, the employers then may feel compelled to use the same company for the labor, when there might be more affordable labor options. Separating the bids would open up that option, he said.

This was met with hesitation from Village Attorney John Christopher and Nadiya Khelawan, the accounting manager, who indicated that bid specifications were usually created with both architectural and labor combined.

Adler stepped in and said from a business standpoint, separating the bids would risk making the architectural bid from a landscape designer higher than if the cost for labor was included in the bid.

He added that the end result would probably be more expensive by separating the bids.

Najman questioned the specific area those changes would affect. She asked for a tighter resolution that indicated exactly which space the bids would cover to ensure it is clear what is being voted on.

The vote was postponed until the next meeting pending a clearer rendering on which part of the grounds will be affected.

The board announced a public hearing in March that will address the regulation of telecommunication sites.

Forman and Village Attorney Michael H. Sahn are writing the proposal with the intention of keeping the law simple and keeping in mind that the federal law continues to be amended.

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