Lawn Maintenance Contract for Solar Field at Ex-Brick Landfill Up for Renewal

Solar panels at the former French’s Landfill site. (Photo: Shorebeat)

It’s an unusual lawn to mow, indeed.

Brick Township has won numerous awards and accolades over turning the former French’s Landfill, a one-time Superfund site, into a solar field, but the hills and valleys that form the cap of the landfill cannot be kept from becoming overgrown with traditional lawnmowers. In fact, shortly after the completion of the solar field, the township conducted a worldwide search for a proper remote-controlled mower that could handle the inclines, only to find that a single – and extremely costly – European firm made a machine that would match the township’s specifications.

Brick then turned to private industry and contracted with an industrial landscape maintenance firm that operated sufficient equipment to keep the property both sightly and functional as an energy-producing operation.

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This week, the township council voted unanimously to solicit bids to continue the practice when the current two-year contract ends in the spring.

“To date, the state has an approximate expenditure of about $60,000,” over the two years, said Councilwoman Heather deJong.

Solar panels at the former French’s Landfill site. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Overgrowth at the former French’s Landfill property on Sally Ike Road. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The winning bidder will be responsible for taking care of a piece of property with an area of 15 acres.

According to deJong, the services include a spring and fall mowing, seed mixed with fertilizer, hay, topsoil, mulch, vegetation removal and disposal of rip-rap throughout the entire acreage.

The current contract, which expires April 19, was awarded two years ago to On Site Landscape Management, of Millstone, Monmouth County.