My thoughts exactly. Hire a backhoe to come in and scoop out a foot or so of dirt and then have a couple dump trucks come in with some good dirt. They are too clueless to know about gardening though, that is not something ‘elites’ like they should have to trouble themselves with.
They could easily get some landscape timbers or railroad ties and do a raised bed. Wouldn’t even need a backhoe. Better for the plants anyhow.