Brevard County School District considering using goats to keep up with landscaping

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - There are lawn mower woes in Brevard County with not enough manpower to tend school grounds. So, how about goats? A school board member is looking at the creative solution amid the budget crunch.

It used to be every school had an outdoor custodian, but in 2013, grass-cutting duties went to the district. Now, the district says it can't keep up.

“All our schools are struggling right now with budgets and we have to look for creative ways to solve problems, and the goats are one creative way. (Reporter: "And will it work?") I don’t know, but I think it’s worth exploring,” said 
Tina Descovich, Brevard County School Board Chair. 

She got the idea from three students at Indiatlantic Elemantary. They gave her a five-minute presentation about the concept.

“At our kindergarten playgrounds, it’s almost up to the waist of those little tiny kids. It doesn’t take that much to get that high,” Descovich said.

She says the board had another thought - inmate labor. But, there are safety concerns and the sheriff says his crews are already booked.

The school system has 20 workers, but nearly 2,000 acres to cover. They need back-up, but the board can’t afford to hire more manpower or buy more equipment.

“Many people in the room laughed when I brought up the idea," Descovich said. "They keep asking if I am serious, I think it could happen.”

So, what’s next?

The board is asking for goat proposals.

And, there’s already one school expressing interest in trying it first.