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64 °F 5 Day Forecast Monday, October 20, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend October 3, 2003 Grass will be sown at Medford City Hall By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune After months of deliberation on fixing City Hall’s front yard, Medford officials say it will get some grass, but that’s about it for now. A landscaping plan to cover the one-acre parcel surrounding the city offices was tabled at Thursday’s City Council meeting when Parks and Recreation Director Scott Archer revealed that the lowest bid, $465,000, came in at nearly twice the estimated cost. It exceeds the project fund by $229,000. The City Council in February approved $200,000 to cover the city’s portion of the project. Additionally, $45,000 is available from Medford Water Commission grants. Advertisement Approximately $9,000 has been spent on landscape design services. Archer presented four alternatives to the council, ranging from the full-fledged design to components of the design to totally abandoning the design and restoring the grounds to what they looked like before the seismic retrofitting that began last year. That work, which required extensive digging, ripped up most of the lot’s greenery. He said restoring the grounds to its former look would not require more money than has already been authorized. The design by Galbraith & Associates includes some drought-resistant plants, like tall fescue grass, ornamental grasses, a smaller area of annual plantings, linden trees and some flowering trees, such as cherry and crabapple. Councilman Jim Key said the city should abandon Galbraith’s plans and just seed the land for now. "You can always put stuff in," he said. But Councilman John Michaels disagreed. "This is our centerpiece for the city," he said, adding that the issue has been dragging on for some time and he’d like to see the city get this done. Councilman Sal Esquivel said he’d much rather give $250,000 to organizations, or see it pay for things like sidewalks around Howard Elementary School. Michaels asked why the bid came in so much higher than the estimate, and Archer said that even though the city advertised statewide for the project, only two bids were received, so there wasn’t much competition to drive the price down. Archer also thought the city could get better pricing if it bid components of the design separately. At this time, the city is still considering a Medford Water Commission commemorative water fountain as a centerpiece and the 8½ -foot replica of the Statue of Liberty, which has been in storage to protect it from the repeated vandalism it suffered in its former Hawthorne Park home. The Medford Urban Renewal Agency estimates new sidewalks, lamps and trees around the block will cost $190,000 — a separate topic from Thursday’s landscaping discussion. The hydroseeding work, which would restore a lush green carpet of grass to the lot, can begin immediately, according to Archer. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times