Beautification Committee

Beautification Committee Meeting 4/12/22 Present: Sam Fiore, Mary Ellen Halliwell, Sandi Powers, Brooke Nagle, Micaela Guglielmi Guests: Lucy Sprague, Jeremy Baker, Charlene Bailey, Ariana Lema-Driscoll, John Mckay, Janelle Rolke March minutes were approved. Clean Sweeps Day  Micaela gave history of BCOMM Clean Sweeps Day. Suggested we do not do one this year since Keep Salem Beautiful is hosting Great Salem Clean Up, we should instead support this event  Janelle gave background about the Great Salem Clean Up – there are 10 locations that represent every ward  She still needs a sponsor for Bridge St. BCOMM agreed to sponsor this location. On April 24th at 10am we will meet at the Old Salem Jail. We will partner up and go to different locations around Bridge St. We will meet at noon at Coffee Time, Brooke offered to order donuts for us. Jeremy, Mary Ellen, Ariana, Sam and John offered to attend. Traffic Island Review  Sandi’s Notes: Initially concentrating on the Riley Plaza area, several mornings have been spent at the Plaza weeding, edging, raking out. Sam had given us five donated boxwood shrubs which have been temporarily dug in at one end of the diminished garden alongside Norman Street. Pansies have been planted around the legs of the plaque across from the post office; grass was dug out from under the plaque and replaced with the large pea stone to facilitate mowing there. A small volunteer tree, offspring of one of the Plaza trees, was removed from one of the gardens around the flagpole circle and replanted by volunteer Jack Melin in Juniper Park at the Willows. The traffic island on Norman St. (The Chimney Co.) was given its initial cleanup. And today the Hosta Gardens were moated, and spring cleaned. The trunks of trees at Riley Plaza are being encroached on by grass, creating risk of nicking by city mowers. A start has been made to dig up and pull away the offending material. Darlene Melis, the chair of the Tree Commission, has reached out to us regarding this project, and has spent a morning with us working on a couple of the larger trees. I am helping as am able and have freed up a few others from encroaching grass. The other side of Riley Plaza will be our project for the next couple weeks: the hosta gardens, Mazow’s sidewalk garden corner Front and Washington, RCG’s on the opposite corner. Also Bouchard’s garden on Derby St. Annex. And finally, Temperance Park at Hawthorne Blvd. and Derby. Four gardens still needing sponsors (assuming last year’s sponsors stay on): the large, rectangular garden at the Plaza (was Salem Car Wash); the sidewalk garden in front to the Communications business at the corner of Washington and Canal (previous owner sold out); the “Tree Girl” island at Essex and North, and the Hosta sidewalk gardens would be candidates.  The large triangular Traffic Island on Washington (Mill Hill) coming into Riley Plaza is awaiting a decision on how to replant it following its removal for construction several years ago. There is considerable $’s in our account to plant it. We should ascertain there is still irrigation there. ALSO DISCUSSED:  Sandi needs a few days to review the MOU and Sponsorship letter. Micaela and Sandi will talk on Tuesday the 19th to review and send out.  Sandi suggested Sam has her own report for the Washington St Strip  Sam needs help edging the Washington St strip. Lucy offered to help.  Charlene has potential sponsors who may be interested in sponsoring an island. She would like some material to reach out to them.  Brooke and Ariana are working on a map of the Traffic Islands. Micaela will send them a list. Lady of Salem  Figureheads almost finished. Thanks Sam, Brooke, Ariana and artist Kenneth Glover.  Figurehead mounting and weatherproofing by Concept Signs begins this week.  Clamps for install ordered from ACE hardware.  Plaques (4) to be made by Colonial Engravers  Graphic designer, Adele Maestrazani on board to create rack cards which will be printed by Minit Print. Tentative cost 100 cards = $140 OR 250 cards = $200  Locations of Ladies along the Essex St. pedestrian mall TBD. Other location is Derby St./ Witch Way Gifts/Scarlet Letter Lady  Wednesday May 25 @ 8:30: installation of figureheads on lampposts by the DPW.  This year is the 10-year anniversary of the LOS – maybe we can do something special.  Sandi will give Margaret Charles contact info to Mary Ellen to discuss the website revamp. Other  Micaela acknowledged the guests and will send the form to anyone who is interested in applying to be a member.  The “plant truck” that Brooke was looking into will not come up to Salem. She instead had an idea of hosting flower arrangement/ pressing classes.  We should have a table at the Salem Arts Festival. Micaela will reach out to Creative Collective/ Salem Main Streets.  Ray ordered some cones for working on the islands  Micaela will share a PO with Sandi and Sam to Winer Brothers for brown bags  Window Box Competition – Mary Ellen has not yet heard back from the Garden Club; she will contact them again. We will add this to the agenda for next month’s meeting.