What Does Government Landscaping Cost?

Landscaping costs in the three Highlands County incorporated areas: (budgeted costs vary wildly, and shouldn't be directly compared, since most employees perform several tasks not connected with landscaping, while grant funding varies and pays for many improvements.)

• Highlands County-$2.5 million yearly budget for landscaping of 40 county owned properties which includes the cost of a four-person, full-time department.

• Avon Park-$52,000 of Avon Park city funding goes to contractor Cutting Edge, which maintains the U.S. 27 corridor, the Main Street mall and other city properties. Inmates perform much of the landscaping at no cost to the city, as is the custom in many areas of the county. Five recreation department employees oversee upkeep of the city ball fields with a $16,000 yearly budget.

• Sebring-Thirteen employees work with the buildings and grounds department, with an annual budget, not including salaries, of $192,000 a year. Some grass mowing is contracted out for $32,000 a year and the four city beaches and six parks cost about $87,000 a year for general upkeep and landscaping.

• The non-profit organization "Keep Lake Placid Beautiful" oversees almost all of the town's landscaping duties. The town supports the organization for about $12,000 a year and business sponsors and individuals contribute the lion's share toward public landscaping, after large grant funding is accounted for. There are about 30 landscaped islands which cost $300 per year or for islands on Interlake Boulevard and Main Street, or $1,000 each on U.S. 27.