WELLINGTON NORTH – The township here is on the lookout for a new full-time recreation staffer to join its ranks.
Council approved the creation of a new recreation labourer position during its April 11 meeting, following a recommendation from the Recreation, Parks and Leisure (RPL) committee.
The township’s lawn care providers for Mount Forest, Terry and Terry Martin of Martins Total Landscape Care, are retiring.
The Martins have contracted their lawn maintenance services to the township for 27 years – with 2021 being their last – caring for the Mount Forest fairgrounds; Princess and North Water Streets; Murphy, Roy Grant and Hutchinson Parks; and water division locations.
The company developed a number of best practices in their care and helped Mount Forest to win the National Community in Blooms Competition in 2004.
Following the announcement, the township staff mulled over hiring another contractor, hiring a split recreation-transportation worker, creating a new recreation worker position, and increasing or decreasing the level of service the township provides.
Staff decided on creating a new position, resulting in a service level increase to the township’s landscaping, trail maintenance and arena coverage program.
According to township operations director Matt Aston, the new employee will maintain community entrance sign beds, garden bedding at the splash pads, trails, and provide arena operator coverage in wintertime – all in addition to replacing the lawn maintenance previously provided by the Martins.
The position is unionized in an agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees putting the wage at $25.71 per hour, or $53,476 per year. With benefits factored in, the yearly income is more like $66,400. That’s more than the average of $32,614 paid to Martins Total Landscape Care each year since 2018.
Aston justified the increase by noting the rise in services provided with a new position, and not having to pay a contractor, which accounts for around half of the new position’s cost.
“This cost increase can be handled within the approved 2022 operating budget and in future budgets,” Aston stated in a March report to the RPL committee.
In a letter to the RPL committee, the Martins thanked the township for the decades of work provided.
