Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 01-26-2010 Regular — reading text

request Council reduce the number of members from 11 to 7. In June 2006, for the same reason, the Committee asked to reduce the membership from 7 to 5. 1. 4 In May 2003, the Committee took a citizen suggestion to undertake the necessary steps to achieve the status of TreeCity USA, and in 2004 Ordinance 1613 established the Beautification as the Tree Board to satisfy the requirements of the TreeCity USA. 2. DISCUSSION 2. 1. In addition to the difficulties achieving a quorum, the Committee has not accomplished any significant project. When a project is proposed by the Committee, it has lost momentum due to the lack of meetings to discuss the issue. 2. 1. 1. Park 2 Park Run —This fundraising initiative was first discussed at the meeting of March 5, 2007. It stayed on the agenda facing all kinds of challenges until April 6, 2009 where it was postponed indefinitely. 2. 1. 2. Plant Sale — On April 6, 2009, the Committee approved a plan to hold a plant sale at the Fairground on June 13, 2009, with the proceeds dedicated to the Japanese Garden project. However, there was no quorum in May, nor in June, therefore the sale did not take place and the opportunity was missed. 2. 1. 3. Tree Initiative —On October 5, 2009, a member of the Committee described the Arbor Day activities being organized by the County and the School District and offered to research a way to partner with them in this activity. However, there was no quorum in November, December or January, 2010. 2. 2. The meeting on October 5 had no staff liaison present and the City Manager tasked his Executive Assistant to become the staff liaison to the City. An agenda for the next meeting on November 2 was prepared, that 61-  included suggestions for direction of the Committee, such as Brooks Cemetery and a list of other developed and undeveloped properties in the City prepared by the ROW Supervisor, involvement with Arbor Day and Earth Day, as well as a review of their own views of their mission. As stated above, there was no quorum. 23. Tree Board — the requirements to maintain the status of TreeCity USA include having a Tree Board. The City Attorney has advised that this could be accomplished by the Municipal Planning Board, and being placed on their agenda quarterly to review any action required would be sufficient. TreeCity USA was achieved in 2004 and renewed for two years. Staff was notified in September 2009 that neither 2008 nor 2009 application had been submitted, which has since been rectified. It is believed that this was overlooked as a result of changing membership, changing staff liaison and cancelled meetings. 2. 4. City staff, including the Public Information Officer and City Clerk' s Department spends substantial time creating an agenda, researching projects, and attending scheduled meetings which do not take place. Because of this, no benefit to the citizens is realized. 2. 5. Should City Council approve staff' s recommendation, formal documents transferring Tree Board responsibility to the Municipal Planning Board will be forthcoming on a future agenda. 2. 6. Staff would like to take this opportunity to thank the individuals that have attended the meetings and encourage their participation in other ways and on other boards and committees. 3. RECOMMENDATION: 3. 1. Staff respectfully requests direction on the following: 3. 1. 1. Dissolve the Beautification Committee /Tree Board; 3. 1. 2. Appoint the duties of the Tree Board to the Municipal Planning Board, with the Executive Assistant placing an update memo on their agenda quarterly; 3. 1. 3. Funds remaining in any of the Beautification accounts to be used to purchase a tree for planting on Arbor Day, 2010, thereby satisfying the requirements to maintain the status of TreeCity USA. 4. SIGNATURE BLOCK: 4. 1. Submitted By: Carole Jones,,:HxecEivesssistant 4. 2. Reviewed and Concur: Jeff Petirs, Recreation & Cultural Svcs Director 4. 3. : Reviewed and Concur: t C) Bran y Finance Director 4.4. : Reviewed for Agenda: G lrJ o ert T. Mearns, City Manager 5. ATTACHMENTS: 5. 1 . Attendance records for 20081 2009 and 2010. 2 62- D Q O ca co W o N H w W V W Z Z W ZQ 00 z Q vw w Q w m tQ 63-  CL NO0 Z O d r, Q Q C'J NOO ZO Q Q Q Q Ci o a Q a a OTC a a a a Q m o a Q a a a w 0 o- w N a a LU W V Z H0 CD a 4 Q a n. Z z W O U H D Q ce Oz I w Q 4. F= 0 Q 1= z V W W LL M a a a M a H M Mw a 0. a a m cY O z N r N N V- Co In r' O a- oo `- O O T' T' V- r p OO a M O p i6 = e co N o L ri. d N N 0O i 0 O 0 O C°O O4 L d O C O * am co a(0 cON 3r o OC coq d o Eo,' AOLn Oocbm EO 0 C Ld i46 (m6° EvL E o oa a, d 0 U) c N 4) i3 O O L. o c O . m e C c LL! c O c cadcad • • dd o 0 n o O o Y O CL n n nm o Q 00. QOQ aa nn P4P4 - - P4P4 cncn 64-64- a O m 0 w w 0 N LU WU Q 1-- H z 0 z W O v H Q z O O z a U w W LL 2 F— Q W m N r N N r- r r e- 90 O Ch r 00 N N O Q O d O NOD Lt_ O O O N 0 LO O bAbA byby cu C) U 9Lo EO wO 0 COO L