A mowing contractor and county crews on overtime can't keep up with the profuse growth spurred by recent rains.
By WILL VAN SANT
Published July 18, 2003
BROOKSVILLE - The private contractor hired to mow Hernando County's grass is not making the cut.
Holiday-based Luke Brothers started work for the county earlier this month, but has been unable to make the kind of progress officials hoped to see. That's one reason why Department of Public Works mowing crews have been working overtime, five days a week instead of four, to battle the thick grass along area roads.
County Engineer Charles Mixson said torrential rains spurring rapid grass growth, a previous contractor who declined to make a final cut after losing its contract and a late start by Luke Brothers have conspired to make the job tougher this year.
Luke Brothers, he said, does fine work, but still, Mixson wants to see it done more quickly.
"The work he is doing is excellent work," said Mixson. "He's just not moving fast enough."
Dave Lucadano, president of the company, said that like any job, there is a learning curve to grass cutting, but that he had no doubt cutting deadlines looming next month will be met.
Echoing Mixson, Lucadano said the previous contractor had left county grass in "sad shape" and that given the heavy rains, he was "fighting abnormal growing conditions."
Mixson said when the wet weather began, it was clear more effort would have to be put into mowing than Luke Brothers could muster solo, which forced him to put county workers on overtime even before the company began work.
"We are just mowing like crazy," he said. "There's grass all over the place."
Under its contract, Luke Brothers is paid $20,500 per cycle to mow 519 miles of right of way - drainage areas included - south of State Road 50, east of U.S. 19, west of Anderson Snow Road/Barclay Avenue and north of County Line Road. In a season, a contractor would mow the designated areas roughly four or five times.
The company is also paid $16,045 a cycle to trim, mow and do trash collection along major collector roads in Spring Hill, including Deltona Boulevard, Mariner Boulevard and Spring Hill Drive. Six to eight such cycles in a season are common.
Luke Brothers and Mixson are scheduled to meet next week to discuss the company's progress. County Administrator Dick Radacky said he was watching the situation closely and would be informed of the results of the meeting.
"Mowing is a priority of mine," Radacky said.
Getting rid of Luke Brothers is not prudent, according to Mixson, not only because the company is doing good work - albeit at a slow pace - but because getting another contractor in place takes time.
"If we do fire him, then what do we do?" Mixson said. "The grass still needs to get cut."
- Will Van Sant covers Hernando County government and can be reached at 754-6127. Send e-mail to vansant@sptimes.com
