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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Earlier this year, our Fact finder Team reported that the Kirksville School District would be outsourcing some of its lawn mowing service to a local company.  This decision came after two employees retired. If the district would’ve hired employees to take their place, not only would officials be responsible for those salaries, but benefits as well.

“By the 'Fair Labor Standards Act' we have to pay their health insurance, we pay their retirement and Medicare and their social security.  So, we took this opportunity, took the money that we would have spent on these two retired employees and decided to give this a…you know, see how it would work,” said Kirksville R-III School District Assistant Superintendent Jane Schaper.

And Schaper says it worked out well.  After crunching the numbers she tells our Fact Finder Team that the district saved taxpayers about $13,000 or 50% of the costs. She says they got their money’s worth because with all the wet weather, the lawn service didn’t miss a week.

Schaper tells us that there was one pleasant surprise after crunching all the numbers.

“The costs that I didn’t actually factor in is the cost of machinery, equipment, and these repairs.  And the fuel, that’s an on-going expense for the district as well. So, we didn’t buy the mowers, we didn’t have to pay for the fuel.  So, all in all, it turned out well for the district,” Schaper explained.

Schaper told the Fact Finder Team that not only was this move cost efficient, but the lawns were mowed during the weekends and after hours so class time was not disturbed.

The lawn service outsourcing will be bid out every year.

Since this move proved to be efficient in the summer, the district is now discussing possible outsourcing major snow removal for the winter months.

“We still have tractors, we still have snow blades and brushes on our tractors that we need to utilize.  Our staff will still need to help remove snow, as did the staff help with the mowing.  We didn’t replace 100-percent of it.  But, we feel that if we can supplement some of that work by outsourcing to local vendors that we will be saving district dollars,” Schaper told our Fact Finder Team.

The Fact Finder Team also found that the district is also contracting with two local cleaning companies for custodial services at the Early Childhood Center and Middle School.