Beautification Committee

Beautification Committee Meeting 10/12/21 Present: Sandi Power, Sam Fiore, Mary Ellen Halliwell, Micaela Guglielmi Guest: Pam Shelton Absent: Lisa Lyons Gardening at Plaza Intersection  the intersections on Derby Street have yellow mums, Sandi thought it would be nice if all of the intersections had yellow mums. She will be planting them on the Chimney Co TI Traffic Island Review  Washington St Median Strip – dead trees and dead grass, pan handlers constantly occupy the strip. Sandi did some research, there are plans to improve. Ray said the City is looking for $25000 from CDBG to improve that strip. She is proposing BCOMM contribute to the planning of these improvements . We will add this to the agenda for next month and discuss further.  Sandi’s team is currently weeding at the curbs and corners – she wants the City to do this next year.  Sandi requested the City return Tree Girl’s sponsorship fee as she never planted and her sign never went out. We do not wish to work with her in the future.  Sandi is working on removing TI signs in South Salem. Sam will remove RCG signs. They will drop off these signs at the DPW. Sandi ran into the owner of Periwinkles who asked for the return of her one sign; Sandi allowed her to take both signs. Micaela will follow up with Gabe about ordering more sign parts for the next season. Clean Sweeps Day  YMCA – there was a possibility for a Fall Clean Up Day – this probably will not happen.  We can plan for our normal event in the spring. Lady of Salem Update  Wednesday November 10th at 8am, the DPW will take the ladies down and return them to the PEM where they will stay for the winter. Sam and Micaela will be there, Mary Ellen will not  New York Pizza Lady and Town Hall lady are missing – we will try to find them this winter. Building Beautification Around Salem  The old Asian Bistro is now Ginger – they cleaned up their building.  We will revisit this topic this spring Other  Mayor acknowledged Garden Club on FB, but not BCOMM  Sam reports that on the Washington St strip the Gordon Food Truck can’t make the corner and runs up onto the strip when a car is parked on the corner illegally.  Next year, the Sandi recommends the City not manually water any traffic islands, only charge for those with irrigation.  Sandi to write appreciation letter from Traffic Island Program thanking beautification volunteers throughout the City to distribute to Salem News/ Salem Digest.