Beautification Advisory Committee

City of Marco Island Florida 51 Bald Eagle Drive Marco Island, Florida cityofmarcoisland.com Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, October 4, 2023 3:00 PM Community Room Beautification Advisory Committee Chair: David Leaser Vice-Chair: Shelli Connelly Members: Tiffany Homuth, Ken Kramer, Julie McDonald , Dustin Nesmith, Sharon Watts City Staff: Justin Martin, Jim Kornas Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final October 4, 2023 (1) CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chair Connelly called the meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. (2) ROLL CALL Present: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts Absent: 3- Member Homuth, Member Kramer and Chair Leaser Also Present Donna Dubey, President of the Marco Island Kiwanis Club Barbara Murphy, Past President of the Marco Island Kiwanis Club William Morris, Past President of the Rotary Club of Marco Island & President-Elect of the Marco Island Chamber of Commerce CITY STAFF Justin Martin, Public Works Director Martin Luna, Audio/Visual Technician Jim Kornas, Recording Specialist (3) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by Vice-Chair Connelly. (4) APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA MOTION by Member Nesmith, seconded by Member Watts, that the Agenda be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY COMMITTEE CONSENSUS. Yes: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts (5) APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES ID 23-3076 Approval of the Minutes of August 2, 2023 MOTION by Member Nesmith, seconded by Member Watts, that the Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of August 2, 2023 be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY COMMITTEE CONSENSUS. Yes: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts ID 23-3077 Approval of the Workshop Minutes of September 13, 2023 MOTION by Member Nesmith, seconded by Member Watts, that the Beautification Advisory Committee Workshop Minutes of September 13, 2023, be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY COMMITTEE CONSENSUS. Yes: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts (6) OLD BUSINESS City of Marco Island Florida Page 1 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final October 4, 2023 6a. Recommended Changes to the 2024 Marco in Bloom Application ID 23-3078 Recommended Changes to the 2024 Marco in Bloom Application Member Julie McDonald presented a revised format and alternative category designations for the 2024 Marco In Bloom (M-I-B) Contest for the Committee's review and discussion. All members of the Committee provided input. Public Comment Ms. Barbara Murphy recalled her past experience as a member of the Beautification Advisory Committee in administering the Marco In Bloom Awards process, and she recommended that the current Committee define a specific length of time that new and past M-I-B Award winners be allowed to publicly display their M-I-B award signs. Given the March 31, 2024 Easter Holiday and the comments received, the Committee proposed: 1) accepting applications through March 14th with judging to be complete by March 28th; 2) identifying a specific week in the M-I-B application when nominees should expect Committee members to visit their properties for judging purposes; 3) proceeding under a plan whereby all submitted applications will be provided to each Committee member as a complete package, grouped by appropriate category, and with the accompanying score sheet(s) included, and; 4) targeting the second City Council Meeting in April (tentatively April 22, 2024) for the presentation of awards to the winning Marco In Bloom property owners. Member McDonald agreed to incorporate the Committee's recommendations into her continued refinement of the Marco In Bloom Contest materials. Additionally, Public Works Director Justin Martin indicated his openness to allowing nominations for the 2024 Marco In Bloom Contest to be submitted online via the City of Marco Island website (specific URL/webpage not identified) 6b. Beautification Advisory Committee Financial Update ID 23-3079 Beautification Advisory Committee Financial Update Though no specific Financial report was presented at this meeting, the Committee addressed a number of questions to Public Works Director Martin regarding the 2023 and 2024 Fiscal Year budget classifications. Public Works Director Martin indicated that Ms. Tara Kosieracki will forward the new categories to the Committee members prior to the Committee's November meeting. 6c. Marco Island Historical Markers Update ID 23-3084 Marco Island Historical Markers Update City of Marco Island Florida Page 2 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final October 4, 2023 Vice-Chair Shelli Connelly reported that all of the Island's historical markers had been restored. She recommended that the Committee next direct its attention to beautifying the markers with pest-resistant, low-water, Florida-friendly plantings. Ms. Connelly proposed that the Committee define a specific budget for this effort in its 2024 fiscal year budget allocation, and she asked that the Committee endorse her plan to approach the Island's local newspaper publishers (Coastal Breeze and Marco Eagle) in printing an article and one or more Committee-endorsed solicitations for public donations to enhance the appearance around the Island's historical markers. Public Comment Mr. William Morris endorsed Vice-Chair Connelly's proposal and conveyed his belief that a number of on-Island organizations would be very interested in "adopting" the maintenance and upkeep of one or more of the Island's historical markers in support the Committee's effort. Vice-Chair Connelly and Member McDonald agreed to independently develop several design concepts for the Committee's future review. 6d. Restoring Marco Island Medians After Hurricane Ian ID 23-3138 Restoring Marco Island Medians After Hurricane Ian Public Works Director Justin Martin advised the Committee that a City water quality initiative to redesign and minimize the overspray and runoff of reclaimed irrigation water for the Collier Boulevard center medians is among the City's "legislative priorities" for funding during the upcoming Florida Legislative session (January 8 - March 9, 2024). Consistent with this initiative, Director Martin noted that other center medians on the Island (e.g. on Barfield and South Heathwood Roads) are not, to date, funded for similar water-quality improvement work. Vice-Chair Connelly and Member Watts indicated that they had been approached by a citizen inquiring about the potential for an "adopt a median" program on Marco Island. Director Martin expressed support for advancing such a program, and advised the Committee that a defined process of: 1) design submission; 2) design approval, and; 3) City-initiated bid solicitations must precede any citizen-led median work or the solicitation of public donations for such an effort. Committee Member Nesmith volunteered to bring forward several recommendations on how the Committee might organize and promote such an effort with the public. (7) NEW BUSINESS 7a. Banners Proposals ID 23-3087 The Rotary Club of Marco Island Sunrise - Valentine’s Day Banners City of Marco Island Florida Page 3 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final October 4, 2023 Mr. William Morris, Past President of the Rotary Club of Marco Island, presented his organization's planned fund-raising activity to create and display personally-addressed Valentine's Day banners on the approximately 70 decorative City light poles along Collier Boulevard for the period February 1 through February 21, 2024. Public Works Director Martin indicated that the City's landscape contractor could assist in the installation of the banners. The Committee, Director Martin, and the attendees from the Kiwanis Club of Marco Island all participated in the discussion, identifying the potential overlap and coordination needed to ensure that the available light poles are appropriately allocated to the Rotary's needs, the Kiwanis Club's plans, and the expectations of the Marco Island Historical Society, the Marco Island Center for the Arts, and other organizations/entities that rely on banner placements along Collier Boulevard during the 2023/2024 Winter Tourist Season. More discussion regarding specific light pole locations and the dates of their utilization by one or more on-Island organizations is expected at a future meeting of the Committee. MOTION by Member Watts, seconded by Member Nesmith, that the Rotary Club Valentine Proposed Banner Design and Banner Display Plan (February 1 - 21, 2024), be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOICE VOTE: Yes: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts ID 23-3137 Car Show/Concert Banners Ms. Barbara Murphy, Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Marco Island, presented her organization's proposed design and banner display plan for its February 24, 2024 Car Show. She was supported by Ms. Donna Dubey, the Kiwanis Club's current President. Identifying certain Collier Boulevard intersections (e.g. at Barfield Drive, at Bald Eagle Drive, at West Elkcam Circle) as key locations for the display of her organization's banners, she engaged positively with the Committee and the other meeting's attendees in discussing the coordination of banner displays on the Island. Vice-Chair Shelli Connelly volunteered to identify the timetable for banner displays desired by the Marco Island Historical Society, the Marco Island Center for the Arts, and other on-Island organizations in support of the Kiwanis and the Rotary Club's plans. MOTION by Vice-Chair Connelly, seconded by Member Nesmith, that the Proposed Design and Banner Display Plan for the Marco Island Kiwanis Club February 24, 2024 Car Show, be Approved. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING VOICE VOTE: Yes: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts 7b. 2024 Mission and Objectives Review ID 23-3089 2024 Mission and Objectives Review The Committee briefly reviewed the Committee's Mission and Objectives in light of Resolution 23-31 and related materials reviewed at its September 13, 2023 Workshop, and no modifications were proposed. MOTION by Member McDonald, seconded by Vice-Chair Connelly, that the 2012 Beautification Advisory Committee Mission Statement and City of Marco Island Florida Page 4 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final October 4, 2023 Goals & Objectives be endorsed and adopted as written. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING MEMBER VOTE: Yes: 4- Vice-Chair Connelly, Member McDonald, Member Nesmith and Member Watts 7c. Seasonal Light Display ID 23-3091 Seasonal Light Display Public Works Director Justin Martin reported his progress in identifying the previous vendor (and one potential alternative) that completed the installation of the seasonal light display at the entrance to Marco Island along Collier Boulevard for the 2022 - 2023 Holiday Season. He indicated that the City needs at least three identified potential vendors to contact to comply with the City's bid solicitation process. Committee Member Dustin Nesmith volunteered to reach out to the organizers of the annual Christmas Island Style effort to identify at least one alternative vendor, and he agreed to provide that information to Public Works Director Martin as soon as possible. (8) STAFF COMMUNICATIONS Public Works Director Martin had no additional report to offer to the Committee during this portion of the meeting. (9) PUBLIC COMMENT No members of the public came forward to offer comment during this portion of the meeting. (10) NEXT MEETING: CONFIRMATION & ATTENDANCE Vice-Chair Connelly confirmed that the next scheduled meeting of the Committee is Wednesday, November 1st at 3:00 P.M. All four members present at this meeting indicated that they will be in attendance on November 1st. (11) PROPOSED AGENDA TOPICS FOR NEXT MEETING The Committee identified the following topics for its November meeting: 1) Assignment of Committee leads for each of the Committee's 2024 key events and initiatives (e.g. Arbor Day, Marco Nature Night, etc.); 2) Restoring Marco Island Medians: Recommendations for Soliciting Public Interest and Funding (Member Nesmith) 3) Marco Island Historical Markers: Newspaper Ad/Insert Design Concepts (Vice-Chair Connelly & Member McDonald) ALSO FOR CONSIDERATION (from the Committee's October 4 Meeting Minutes): 1) Marco In Bloom Contest: Plan for Accepting Online Nominations (Director Martin) 2) Beautification Advisory Committee Financial Update: New 2024 Fiscal Year Budget Categories (Director Martin) City of Marco Island Florida Page 5 Beautification Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - Final October 4, 2023 3) Banner Displays on Collier Boulevard Light Poles: Coordination of Dates & Locations by Organizations for the 2023/2024 Winter Tourist Season (Vice-Chair Connelly) 4) Seasonal Light Display: Identification of Potential Vendors (Member Nesmith) (12) OTHER COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS None. (13) ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, Vice-Chair Connelly adjourned the meeting at 4:19 P.M. __________________________________________ Jim Kornas, Recording Specialist City of Marco Island Florida Page 6