Brookhaven city leaders decided to create their own park maintenance crew instead of hiring a contractor.
The 17-member team was announced Tuesday, and city leaders said the in-house operation will end up saving the city roughly $300,000 annually, according to a news release.
The team’s startup cost was roughly $300,000, but the city said the new unit will quickly pay for itself, since equipment purchases should be a one-time cost.
The team will be overseen by the Brookhaven Parks & Recreation Department. Its responsibilities include park landscaping, mowing, trimming, repairs, minor construction and trash duties at the city’s parks, recreation facilities, right-of-ways and Federal Emergency Management Agency properties.
“Having a permanent crew rather than contractors not only allows us to save money, it gives the city better control of the quality of work being performed,” Brian Borden, Parks & Recreation director, said in the release.
Let's give a warm Brookhaven welcome to Brookhaven Parks and Recreation Department's first-ever in-house maintenance...
Posted by City of Brookhaven, Georgia on Monday, March 22, 2021
The city oversees 332 acres of parkland in 14 parks. In 2018, Brookhaven residents voted to raise property taxes to fund $40 million worth of park improvements. More information on those projects is available at brookhavenga.gov/parks-bond-ref.
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