Essex County moves forward on parks contracts including humane goose control and zoo materials

Essex County commissioners approved a block of Parks Department contracts March 6 covering veterinary pharmaceuticals for the county zoo, graphic design services, portable lighting towers, armored cash transport, landscape maintenance, and Canada goose control.

Joshua Zates and county staff described several awards: a negotiated four‑month contract with Penn Veterinary Supply (not to exceed $250,000) to provide medications and medical supplies for the zoo’s 1,400 animals; a one‑year graphic design contract with Iris Communications (woman‑owned) for up to $151,050 to produce county pamphlets, banners and the Spirit of Essex magazine; rental of diesel lighting towers for up to $126,600; armored car services for revenue pickups not to exceed $220,000; landscape maintenance contracts totaling about $55,600 per year; and a 15‑month, not‑to‑exceed $90,350 sole‑bid award to Preferred Outdoor Experience for humane goose control.

Joseph Bello of Preferred Outdoor Experience described nonlethal methods the company uses in parks—trained border collies, RC boats and lasers for evening work—and said the approach emphasizes leaving family units together and rescuing injured birds. Commissioners asked about locations and service frequency; Bello listed Branch Brook, Grover Cleveland, Verona, Orange, Monte Irvin and other county parks and said services run March 15 through Oct. 15 with AM and PM visits during that season.

Barbara Boce of Iris Communications, the graphic design vendor, said her firm has worked with the county on signage at Turtle Back Zoo and event materials for the Spirit of Essex and Cherry Blossom programs. Commissioners discussed vendor experience and county outreach preferences, and one commissioner noted vendor responses to county hiring questions for a compactor bid that indicated the bidder is a Canadian corporation with no U.S. offices.

The board moved the Parks items on consent and approved them by roll call. County staff said follow‑up information (for example, which parks are covered under port authority contracts and which are county‑managed) will be provided as requested.