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12-29-1998 '-" .., CITY OF EDGEWATER BEAUTIFICATION , TREE COMMITTEE DECEMBER 29, 1998 SPECIAL MEETING 7:00 P.M. CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Mike visconti called the Special Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. Members present were Chairman Mike Visconti, Mike Tanksley and Rose Hoffman. Also present was Recording Secretary Lisa Kruckmeyer. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Tanksley made a motion to approve the October 13, 1998 minutes, second by Ms. Hoffman. The motion CARRIED 3-0. GENERAL DISCUSSION Chairman Visconti informed the Committee, Terry Webb, who resigned, was to make a presentation. Chairman Visconti referred to the Master Plan he handed out at the last meeting. He feels all of this should be tabled until the January 11th Council meeting. The Beautification & Tree Committee and Parks and Recreation Board may be combined. Chairman Visconti asked the Committee's views on this. He questioned if the Beautification & Tree Committee would lose their identity if they are merged with the Parks and Recreation Board. Mr. Tanksley feels they ought to present some sort of unified voice of approval to the Council that we would or wouldn't like to do that. Ms. Hoffman questioned if they are going to get any further ahead by doing that. Chairman Visconti spoke about what the Committee has accomplished since he has been on the Committee such as cleaning up the eyesores on u.S. #1 and the fountain but since then there has been nothing else done. Mr. Conway resigned because nothing was being done. Terry Webb resigned because she wanted to get out and dig holes and plant plants and flowers. They have a lot of good ideas but nothing has been done. Ms. Hoffman stated you have to have money to do it. ~ 'WIll' Chairman visconti feels if they are going to stay together they should be allocated at least $500 where the Chairman and Vice chairman could write a check out for something they need. He went out and spent his own money on lights around the fountain. Ms. Hoffman stated that is not fair to one man, this is a whole town. Chairman visconti stated they haven't had a meeting since October because of a lack of a quorum. He feels the Council must see this and maybe they have something in mind by merging them with the Parks and Recreation Board. Mr. Tanksley feels much of what they do revolves around what they do every day. Ms. Hoffman stated they can't do anything without Parks and Recreation so what is the difference. Ms. Hoffman asked if they could go back to their own Committee if it doesn't work. Chairman Visconti spoke about the Parks and Recreation Board being around for a long time and if the Parks and Recreation Board should beautify the City, why hasn't the City been beautified up to this point. Ms. Hoffman agreed with Chairman visconti. The Committee feels they have good ideas but they don't have any money and no backing. Ms. Hoffman stated the north medians still aren't beautified but she didn't know what the problem was there. The secretary stated as far as she knew, we were still waiting on the permit from DOT. Ms. Hoffman stated that was supposed to be done back in October, November at the latest because they had a goal of Christmas. Mr. Tanksley feels they are going to lose the money if they don't get it off dead center. Ms. Hoffman feels Parks and Recreation would have to use the money that was allotted to the Committee or they will lose it. Mr. Tanksley feels they should join forces just to keep track of it. Chairman visconti stated he has no idea how this is going to work and the only way they are going to find out is by listening to the Council and City Manager on January 11th. He is going to make a presentation at that meeting. Page -2- Beautification & Tree Committee December 29, 1998 '-' ...." Chairman Visconti thanked the Committee for the accomplishments they have done. At least this is the first time they were appropriated money for the Beautification Committee. He spoke about the additional responsibilities Mr. Corder has been given. He feels someone should have gone to the DOT and pleaded with them that we want the medians done. Mr. Tanksley feels the Memorial Wall would be a good project for the Mayor to get involved in. He spoke of the Mayor being big on anything that has to do with the Veterans and he thinks he could help the Committee get this going. He is not so hot on the Living Memorial Wall and the Veterans portion of it as he is losing the contacts and progress the Committee has made with the Camellia Society. He wants this to go forward and be a big part of the beautification effort for the City. Ms. Hoffman asked how they are going to get the money for that. Mr. Tanksley stated that goes back to what Terry was trying to get started. He feels the Committee could use people like Terry to good advantage starting out the Garden Club. Mr. Tanksley stated Councilwoman Lichter is trying to help them by trying to get folks in Edgewater Landing to join the Committee and start up a Garden Club. Ms. Hoffman feels they need funds to get started. Chairman visconti asked if the Living Memorial would be going at the Cemetery or at Veterans Park. Mr. Tanksley feels that would be up to where people think it is best sighted. He would like to see the Camellia part started because that need is still there. Chairman Visconti feels there is a lot that could be done in the City. Chairman Visconti feels the strip going from U.S. #1 to the River at SR 442 would be a beautiful spot for Edgewater's Green. Mr. Tanksley expressed concern with future plans that DOT may have for creating a bridge at SR 442 to go over to the beachside. He doesn't see a five-lane highway dead-ending at U.S. #1. Mr. Tanksley would like Ms. Plaskett to sit in on a meeting. He feels her input is vital. We need her direction and she needs to know what the Committee is trying to accomplish. Page -3- Beautification & Tree Committee December 29, 1998 ...... .' Mr. Tanksley spoke about a conversation he had with Ms. Plaskett regarding historic areas of Edgewater. He also feels Ms. Sikes should be included in that. He spoke of a need for a museum for historical artifacts to be displayed. Chairman visconti informed the committee January 15th is Arbor Day. He spoke about planting a tree and the committee not doing that for the past couple of years. The secretary stated they used to incorporate that with the Tree City status that the City no longer has. There was a brief discussion regarding Tree City U.S.A. The Committee was scheduled for a meeting on January 12th but decided to wait until after the January 11th Council meeting and if they had to they could reschedule it. Mr. Tanksley asked if the secretary is suggesting the Committee be at the Council meeting on January 11th to be advised of what happens to them as a committee on January 12th. Chairman Visconti stated he was going to be at the meeting. Mr. Tanksley asked if they would accept a motion from the floor from the Committee to go ahead and make it official that night or is it Council's decision. The secretary informed him it would be Council's decision but she didn't see why they couldn't talk at the meeting if they wanted to. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Mr. Tanksley made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Ms. Hoffman. The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Minutes submitted by Lisa Kruckmeyer Page -4- Beautification & Tree Committee December 29, 1998