ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville City Council approved two landscaping contracts totaling more than $166,000 for the first year, but not before one council member questioned whether the city could save money by doing more of the work itself.

Council Member Bo Hess asked to pull the contracts from the consent agenda at Tuesday’s Oct. 13 meeting, saying the city should take a closer look at its spending on park maintenance, especially after considering cuts to other services.

The contracts, awarded to Rivertop Contracting Inc., cover landscaping and maintenance at downtown parks and along the French Broad River. They total $166,388 for the first year, with options to renew annually for four additional years.

Hess said the city should explain why outside contractors are needed when Parks and Recreation already has employees, equipment and money budgeted for maintenance.

He pointed to a department budget of about $13.8 million, including approximately $5.8 million for asset management, which covers mowing and landscaping along with other park maintenance responsibilities.

Those figures were cited by Hess during the meeting. The asset management budget covers a range of responsibilities beyond mowing and landscaping.

Hess said the reports provided to council explained how the contractors were selected but didn’t compare the cost of outsourcing with having city employees do the work.

“If there’s a staffing shortage, show us that. Show us the vacancies. If there’s an equipment shortage, let’s identify it,” Hess said.

He also questioned whether money spent on outside contractors could be used to address other needs, including flooding, dugouts and playground improvements at Weaver Park. He raised concerns about reduced community center hours and said he had heard complaints from Montford Park Players about trash collection in city parks.

“My point is that every dollar spent here is a dollar unavailable for the community in another way,” Hess said.

His questions follow months of budget discussions that included possible reductions in recreation services.

In March, Asheville officials identified $6.9 million in potential budget cuts, including a proposal to reduce offseason community center hours by 13%. Other proposals included reductions in landscaping and litter cleanup. Those were proposed savings, and not all necessarily became part of the final budget.

City explains why it uses contractors

Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Peter Wall told council that the city has used outside contractors for park maintenance for years.

The downtown landscaping contract dates to the opening of Pack Square Park around 2009 or 2010. It covers Pritchard Park, Triangle Park, Grace’s Garden and the Rankin parking deck area.

The riverfront contract began in 2021 and includes areas such as Jean Webb Park and the Wilma Dykeman Greenway.

Wall said the city has long used a combination of employees and private contractors to maintain its parks.

After Tropical Storm Helene damaged riverfront areas in September 2024, the city stopped the previous riverfront contract and tried to handle the maintenance with its own crews. Wall said employees haven’t been able to keep up with the level of service needed in those areas.

The contracts also bring previously separate maintenance arrangements into a more coordinated system, he said.

The city’s fiscal 2025-26 adopted budget shows that contracted mowing, landscaping, trash removal and athletic field maintenance were already part of Parks and Recreation operations.

Council members also discussed whether the city should eventually bring more of that work in-house or continue relying on contractors.

The contracts were approved on 6-1 votes, but the discussion prompted a commitment to take a closer look at staffing, maintenance costs and the city’s use of outside companies.

Each contract covers one year, with four optional annual renewals that do not require another council vote. City management agreed to review the arrangements as part of the budget process and provide council with an update before deciding whether to renew them.

That review could help answer the question Hess raised: whether hiring contractors is the most cost-effective way to maintain Asheville’s parks or whether city employees could handle more of the work.