Grantwood Village Treasurer Kevin Kelso sought approval of a groundskeeping contract at last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, despite no longer being responsible for such contracts.

Kelso, who served as public works commissioner until being appointed treasurer in April, said the village’s current contract with Euphorbia Lawn Care expires Aug. 31. Euphorbia’s most recent contract with the village was for a three-year term at $300 per week for mowing and $25 per hour for maintenance, according to the village’s operations guide.

Euphorbia offered the village another contract, which has remained at the same price since 2001, according to Kelso, who made a motion the board accept the contract.

Current Public Works Commissioner Walter Rust, who was appointed to the position after his election to the board in April, said he had “absolutely no knowledge” the contract was going to be presented until Kelso gave it to him before the July 17 meeting.

“I’ve been working on coming up with specs, and I have contacted a number of landscaping companies all for naught,” Rust said. “So I’ve been spinning my wheels when I could have been doing something else. This falls under my area. It should be under my area … and I don’t like the fact that another trustee has taken it upon himself to do (this).”

Rust said he was going to ask for the following in his specifications: cost per cut; cost per hour; costs for a cubic yard of mulch; and a debris hauling fee.

Kelso said from his experience the village is “not going to get any price better than that.” He also said he wanted to make sure the village grounds do not go unattended to after Aug. 31.

Resident Dave Quill said it seems obvious that if Euphorbia has been working with the village since 2001, “They would go on a month to month basis until we have time to do the due diligence we need to do to get several bids …”

However, Kelso said if he was in Euphorbia’s position, he would not work on a month-to-month basis.

Resident Rich Muraski, a former trustee, said the board owes it to the village to get additional bids.

“I know you can get a better price, if not the same price,” Muraski said.

When Kelso asked what company offers a better price, Muraski did not provide a name, but said, “I don’t know. There’s several. Put some bids out … Prove me wrong.”

“I’m confident we can get a bid exactly the same or a little bit better, but let’s do our due diligence and find out,” Muraski said.

Resident Genny Webelhuth addressed the board with complaints about Euphorbia’s work around the village, which she called “destructive behavior.”

“Sometimes things get over-trimmed and it dies,” Webelhuth said. “I have personally seen where they planted a tree and they left the wire mesh basket in the roots … The roots had no place to go… I’m not happy with them at all.”

Kelso told Webelhuth to email the trustees and that he or another board member will make sure her concerns are addressed.

Rust asked board members to state whether they personally use Euphorbia.

Kelso was the only trustee to state he does and, according to Rust, that could be considered a conflict of interest.

The decision was tabled until the board’s Aug. 21 meeting.

In other business, the board unanimously approved R.V. Wagner for street repairs in the village.