Introduction to the Concern

A Westchester landscaping company is close to receiving contracts worth tens of millions of dollars in tree-planting work despite its owner facing prison time for a bribery and illegal dumping scheme, records show. Griffin’s Landscaping, based in Peekskill, has two active tree planting contracts with the Parks Department totaling $14.7 million and three upcoming contracts for $24.6 million, which were sent to the city comptroller’s office earlier this month.

Background of Griffin’s Landscaping

The company has been planting trees throughout Queens and The Bronx since 2017, contract records show, but is set to receive a major boost with the upcoming projects. That arboreal labor is happening as company owner Glenn Griffin faces federal prison time at an April sentencing for a bribery scheme in the Westchester town of Cortlandt, where he allegedly provided cash and other services to a city employee who let him illegally dump debris on city property.

Details of the Bribery Scheme

In 2022, an indictment handed down by a Southern District of New York grand jury charged that from 2018 through February 2020 Griffin, along with the town’s assistant general foreman and others, conspired to illegally dump unauthorized materials, including cement with rebar, thick concrete, tiles, and large rocks on public property, according to the indictment. Part of the debris even ended up in a nearby wetlands, although Griffin claimed it was pushed there by town employees. The clean-up costs could be up to $1.5 million, the town said.

Legal Proceedings

In December, Griffin tried to withdraw his August 2024 guilty plea, the Peekskill Herald reported. He told the judge that at the time of the agreement he was “confused” and “didn’t really understand what was going on.” Last Thursday, federal Judge Vincent Briccetti ruled Griffin could not withdraw his plea. Griffin’s lawyer, Jeffrey Hoffman, told THE CITY they plan to appeal after sentencing on April 22, but did not comment further about the company. An employee who answered the phone at the landscaping company Thursday declined to comment.

Consequences of the Guilty Plea

The plea included a $1.2 million fine to restore wetlands near the illegal dumping site and up to 64 months in federal prison — after initially facing up to 62 years in prison following his July 2022 arrest, according to the Herald. Griffin’s Landscaping, meanwhile, is currently under active independent integrity monitoring agreements through the city’s Department of Investigation, according to the Parks Department — similar to another city landscaper, Dragonetti Brothers, which has raked in millions in tree-pruning contracts despite legal woes.

Defense by the Parks Department

During a City Council hearing on the Parks Department’s budget on Thursday, Commissioner Sue Donoghue defended the agency’s selection of Griffin and noted they’ve had an active monitor throughout the contracts. “Planting trees equitably and across all the city is really important to the Parks Department,” she said. “In order for us to improve and invest in our urban canopy as fairly and efficiently as possible, we believe it’s in the best interest of New Yorkers to continue working with the contractors.” Parks officials in November announced an ambitious goal of planting trees at every available location over the next 10 years — approximately 18,000 a year. The effort is to meet the city’s goal of 30% tree canopy coverage, which helps regulate heat.

Criticism from Laborers’ Local 1010

Lowell Barton, the vice president of Laborers’ Local 1010, representing thousands of workers across hundreds of city-approved contractors, blasted the Parks Department for continuing to tap problematic firms, calling it a “slap in the face for any single honest contractor out there.” “This isn’t a budgetary thing, this is about law and order,” he told THE CITY before the hearing. “This is about having an agency that you trust when you hand out a contract.” The city comptroller’s office told THE CITY they don’t comment on pending contracts.

Conclusion

The decision by the Parks Department to award contracts to Griffin’s Landscaping despite the company owner facing federal prison time has raised serious concerns about the department’s judgment and commitment to integrity. As the city moves forward with its ambitious tree-planting goals, it must also prioritize transparency and accountability in its contracting processes to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively and ethically.

FAQs

• Q: What is the total value of the contracts awarded to Griffin’s Landscaping?
  A: The total value of the contracts is $14.7 million for active tree planting contracts and $24.6 million for upcoming contracts.
• Q: What is the nature of the legal trouble faced by Glenn Griffin, the owner of Griffin’s Landscaping?
  A: Glenn Griffin faces federal prison time for a bribery scheme and illegal dumping in the Westchester town of Cortlandt.
• Q: What is the Parks Department’s goal for tree planting in the city?
  A: The Parks Department aims to plant trees at every available location over the next 10 years, approximately 18,000 a year, to meet the city’s goal of 30% tree canopy coverage.
• Q: How has the city responded to criticism of its decision to award contracts to Griffin’s Landscaping?
  A: The Parks Department has defended its decision, citing the importance of planting trees equitably across the city and noting that Griffin’s Landscaping has been under active independent integrity monitoring agreements.