By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Following a last-minute cancellation from a Michigan-based landscape company, some of the municipality’s grass-cutting contracts are going to be re-tendered.
Council made the move at its March 17 meeting, approving a motion from South Kent Coun. Trevor Thompson.
According to Thompson, who used to work as a grass-cutter, he’s been informed by local contractors that they can come up with bids at a lower cost.
Thompson’s motion came on the heels of a report from administration advising council to approve the cancelled contracts to the second highest bidder on already approved tenders. The report stated the municipality was formally notified by BrightView that the company is ceasing operations in Canada May 1 and can’t fulfill the remaining three years in the contract.
However, Thompson believes area contractors can step up to do it more inexpensively.
“They are quite confident that they can beat them if they are going to re-tender,” Thompson said, potentially saving Chatham-Kent taxpayers “hundreds of thousands” of dollars over the next three years.
Thompson pointed out that economic times have changed since the multi-year contracts were awarded in 2023, when interest rates and inflation were higher.
The affected parcels, equalling about 200 acres, include Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham, Riverview Cemetery in Wallaceburg and Dresden Cemetery for an estimated $1.5 million for the remaining three years in the contract.
At least one councillor is worried that re-tendering the contracts could delay the process, leading to a host of complaints from citizens. That took place in 2022, when long grass became a problem throughout the municipality.
Wallaceburg Coun. Carmen McGregor said that in the last year, BrightView has done a “great job” noting she received fewer complaints about the grass in 2024 than any other year during her three terms on council.
“It’s difficult sometimes when people don’t quite understand and respect the cemeteries,” she said, adding families get “quite upset” when a cemetery isn’t cared for properly.
In response, Robert Pollock, C-K’s director of parks, fleet & facilities, assured McGregor that all new contractors hired will be schooled in the specifics of cemetery mowing.
In discussing costs of re-tendering, Pollock said there’s no guarantee that prices will come in lower.
As part of his remarks, Mayor Darrin Canniff questioned whether other contractors could step in and cover the situation until new contracts are found, noting the situation could get “ornery” if the grass goes uncut for any period of time.
Thompson said he appreciated everyone’s concerns, as “nobody wants a repeat of the great grass debacle of 2022,” when a vast majority of the municipality’s public spaces went uncut.
“This is much smaller and it’s far more feasible,” he concluded. “To be totally honest, I’ll put what’s left of my tattered reputation on the line (that) it will come in cheaper.”
The motion passed in a 14-3 vote.
It is unknown if the abrupt cancellation by BrightView is related to current tariff turbulence between Canada and the United States.
Going forward, Chatham-Kent has committed to entering contracts with Canadian suppliers wherever possible.
