Beautification Commission

STERLING HEIGHTS BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, January 9, 2023 Chairperson Gary Isom called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Commissioner’s present: Sheryl Burns, Steve Duncan, Manny Gonzales, Sue Hobig, Gary Isom, Nancy Kijek, Lisa Lane, Linda Meida, Patrick Rye, Matthew Smith Commissioner’s absent: Henrietta Baczewski, Sharon Mason Other present: Dawn Bondarek, Citizens Services Specialist Approval of Minutes: Motion to approve Minutes of the November 7, 2022 meeting by Kijek; Seconded by: Lane Ayes: all Nays: none Agenda Items: A. Election of officers (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson) • Isom opened the floor for members to make nominations for Chair and/or Vice Chair. Hobig nominated Isom for Chair; seconded by: Gonzales. Isom nominated Kijek for Vice Chair; seconded by: Hobig. Congratulations to Isom and Kijek. • . B. 2022 Holiday Decoration Jurying • Bondarek displayed photos of residential homes that were decorated for the holiday season and asked commission members to select their top three favorite. Members voted on the following and three winners were chosen. • Bondarek stated that she will send out congratulatory letters, a certificate and home depot gift cards to the winners. The winner’s photos will also be posted on Facebook. Old Business: • Bondarek stated that the city uses EA Graphics as their supplier for apparel. The website is down right now with their online catalog. Once this issue is fixed we can pick out a color and order new polo’s for all members. • The commission discussed hosting a native plant sale in the fall. Lane said that the Macomb Master Gardeners hold a plant sale in the fall so she will check to see when they plan to hold their sale so we do not have it on the same date. Hobig  said the best month to hold the event in the fall will be in September. We will discuss further in the upcoming months. • Hobig suggested that we ask the fire department if they would be interested in helping maintain a monarch waystation at one of their fire stations. Isom added that we could also reach out to Stevenson High School to see if high school kids wanted to help. Isom gave Bondarek a contact of a Stevenson teacher last year that was interested in having her students help plant flowers in the future. New Business: • We are now taking submissions for the 2023 snowman contest. The snowman contest information is in the winter magazine. We will also post to social media anytime it snows. We will vote on this contest at our March meeting. • Hobig stated that Eckert’s Greenhouse is officially closed. They sold the company and Theut’s is the name of the new flower nursey. They are not open yet for the upcoming season. • Burns attended the December Quarterly BCSEM luncheon in Grosse Pointe Park which featured guest speaker Maude Lyons who spoke on Native Plants and Insects. Burns had a very great time and shared information on the event. • Burns is an ambassador for “keep nature wild”. You can become an ambassador by picking up liter, weighing it and recording how much liter you picked up. Burns suggested that we could sponsor a cleanup in the city. Lane added that we could partner with our Youth Advisory Board. Bondarek said that the city’s Facebook page is going to make a post on Martin Luther King Day as a day of service encouraging people to volunteer. She will see if we can get “keep nature wild” added to this list. • The group suggested we choose an Oak Tree for our upcoming Arbor Day tree planting in April. • Hobig said she will send Bondarek information on educational interpretive signs that we could purchase to put at the library children’s garden or dodge park. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn the Beautification Commission meeting made by Kijek; Seconded by Burns Ayes: All Nays: None