Vestavia Hills council approves athletic field maintenance contract

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The Vestavia Hills City Council on Monday approved a new six-figure athletic turf-maintenance contract with Specialty Turf Supply.

The city sent out invitations to bid on the maintenance of the city’s athletic fields earlier this summer, and Specialty Turf Supply was the lone bidder at $346,900.

The new contract includes maintenance of:

  • Three synthetic turf baseball diamonds at Wald Park at an annual cost of $15,000
  • Four baseball diamonds at Cahaba Heights Park at an annual cost of $15,900
  • Nine baseball diamonds and five rectangular fields at Liberty Park at an annual cost of
  • $258,000
  • The rectangular turf field at Central Elementary School for $24,400
  • 11 acres of synthetic athletic turf at Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex (SHAC) at an annual cost of $25,000

Owned and operated by Vestavia Hills resident Mike Hill, Specialty Turf Supply first began maintaining Vestavia Hills athletics fields in 2015. Vestavia Hills Parks and Leisure Services Director Jamie Lee explained that the contract specifically includes regular maintenance of the fields based on hours of use and other factors that were left up to a “gentlemen’s agreement” in previous years.

“If you do any research on how to maintain turf fields, after so many hours of play, that field needs to be brushed, swept, pebble put back in or checked on, etc.,” Lee said. “They were only doing that once a year at Wald Park and Cahaba Heights.

“In this contract,” Lee added,” I’ve asked them to do that once a month as well as the 11 acres at SHAC.”

Lee said the cost of maintaining the city’s athletic fields has increased dramatically due to economic factors in recent years. However, Lee added that he believes the contract is reasonable and that Specialty Turf Supply has been a great vendor for the city over the years.

“I feel very comfortable with this,” Lee said. “I’ve had many conversations with that crew. They do a fantastic job, and they’re always at our beck and call, quite honestly. If we need something tonight, they’ll take care of it.”

Councilwoman Kimberly Cook added that despite some sticker shock, the cost is actually below market value.

“I actually looked up to see what needs to be done to turf fields because I wasn’t really aware, and apparently there’s a range of costs, of course,” Cook said. “When I looked at, for instance, the fields at Cahaba Heights … what they’re charging us to do to those fields is very low, according to the industry standards. I think we’re getting a bargain.”

During his comments before the vote, Councilman Rusty Weaver voiced his appreciation for Hill and the work Specialty Turf Services provides for the city.

“I know Mike Hill is a Vestavia Hill resident, and I know he takes a lot of pride in servicing this contract,” Weaver said. “He’s been very responsive when needed, spur-of-the-moment to water a field, get bases put on a field or field line, he’s always been there to do it. I’m glad he’s taken an opportunity to rebid this contract.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the contract with the exception of Councilman Paul Head, who was unable to attend the meeting.

In other business Monday, the City Council:

  • Joined Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry in welcoming members of the Daughters of the American Revolution in recognition of Constitution Week. In attendance to receive the proclamation were Cindy Akins of the Cahawba DAR Chapter and Saharon Bamberg and Gaye Shields of the Birmingham DAR Chapter.
  • Heard a report from City Manager Jeff Downes that work to repair a sinkhole on Cahaba Heights Road will begin next week and will affect several businesses in the community. Downes said Vestavia Hills Director of Public Services Lori Beth Kealry held a meeting with businesses in the community to go over the plan. “She reported to me just a few moments ago that everybody seems comfortable with where we’re going with that,” Downes said. “It’s a little bit of inconvenience, but something we have to do.”
  • Authorized Curry and Downes to execute an automatic aid agreement with the Hoover Fire Department.
  • Heard the first reading of two rezoning requests, one to rezone 3512 Valley Circle from a Jefferson County E-2 (estate zone) to a Vestavia Hills R-1 (single-family residential) zone, and another to rezone portions of 2551 and 2553 Rocky Ridge Road from Jefferson County R-G (garden homes) and Court Ordered Vestavia Hills O-1 (office park district) to Vestavia Hills O-1 (office park district) for the construction of an office building.
  • Heard the first reading of a pair of annexation requests for property at 3512 Valley Circle in Dolly Ridge Estates and a portion of 2553 Rocky Ridge Road.