Beautification Commission
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Present: Pat Sirois; Helen Boardman; Pat Byrnes; Marylee Hickey; Dolores Kehoe;
Sue Kickery; Mary Mourey; Betty Russell; Tony Russo
Also Present: Bill Taylor, Director/Public Works
Absent: Roger Moss, Director/Park and Recreation (excused)
Bonnie Nichols, Director/Inspections and Permits (excused)
Call to order:
Chair Sirois called the meeting of the Beautification Commission to order at 7:15 p.m.
Dolores Kehoe made a motion to add an agenda item under New Business – Holiday Fest. Seconded by Betty Russell. Approved.
Acceptance of minutes of August 6, 2009
Betty Russell made a motion to accept the minutes of the August 6, 2009 meeting. Seconded by Sue Kickery. Approved.
Opportunity for citizens to speak: No report at this time.
Financial Report:
Mary Mourey reported the general budget has a balance of $8025. Remembrance Fund balance is $520.96.
Communications:
Chair Sirois received information from the Arbor Day Foundation.
Chair's report:
Chair Sirois reported she attended the September 1, 2009 Town Council meeting to present the Beautification Awards. Unfortunately Taco Bell did not have a representative at the meeting.
Chair Sirois spoke with Susan Kneip. Mrs. Kniep discussed the concerns she had in town:
-When you are at the light on Church Street and Burnside Avenue, the building directly across on Burnside has the windows covered with newspaper (this was
the former SBM branch)
-State property grass is not been trimmed in a timely manner
-She discussed the issue of Bulky Waste on the curb throughout town. Channel 5 does announce to East Hartford residents that a Bulky Waste permit must be
purchased to have bulky waste picked up at the residence. One issue is that people move out of town and leave their waste on the curb side without informing
anyone.
Chair Sirois also spoke with Irene Cone. Irene is requesting letters from Commission members supporting Channel 5 for the community service they do during Holiday Fest for the residents in town.
Chair Sirois heard from Judy Flemke of the East Hartford Garden Club. Judy stated there are 145 members and they would like to do a community project in town. Discussion was held and Mary Mourey will contract Ms. Flemke with some recommendations.
Tree Warden's Report:
Billy Taylor distributed the report for July and August 2009.
Discussion was held on the clean-up of Cummings/Walnut area that was requested by Claudette Miller. CIBA students did not do a community service project because of the poison ivy. The area has been mowed and the area will be cleaned by the highway services by November.
Tony Russo reported there was an accident on Main Street and a tree was hit. He will get the accident report to see if insurance would pay for a replacement.
Old Business: None.
New Business:
A. Beautification Awards
Sue Kickery made a motion to award the September Beautification Award to the resident living at 236 Main Street. Seconded by Pat Byrnes.
Discussion was held and the motion was withdrawn. There will be no September Beautification Award.
Sue Kickery recommended that the list developed for awards not be used in the Spring of 2010. She further recommended that Commissioners come to the May 2010 meeting with 2 recommendations for the 2010 year.
Discussion was held by the Commission in reference to have a Fall Award. It was recommended that the Garden Club do the initial work for this project. The Garden Club can view homes between October 1 and October 20. They can nominate 4 homes to the Beautification Commission and the members will then go see the 4 homes and one award will be given at the Town Council meeting in November. Guidelines as follows:
- Fall decoration theme
- Flowers, plants, not Halloween
- Have Garden Club do publicity for this event
B. Holiday Fest
Chair Sirois will contact those organizations that participated last year. Pat announced that a Friday night show is scheduled.
Mayor Currey spoke with Chair Sirois in reference to the kick-off. If there is to be a kick-off it would be tentatively scheduled for November 19, 2009. Place to be announced.
Members recommended that Town Hall employees have a ‘dress down’ day on December 4. In order to participate they must purchase a Holiday Fest button. Proceeds go to the fuel bank in town.
Chair Sirois will write an article to the Gazette to inform organizations and non-profit groups that the Commission will list in their brochure any events they are sponsoring during the Holiday Fest weekend. Members further recommended that a letter be sent to town churches informing them of the brochure and printing of their events. Marylee Hickey will get a list of churches and addresses to the clerk so this can be done in a timely manner.
It was recommended that the theme for Holiday Fest this year be “snowman” or “snowmen families”.
Other Business:
Tony Russo reported that the new barrels were a good investment. Fifty barrels were ordered and, approximately 15 are still in inventory.
Tony reported that mums will not be purchased this year because of maintenance issues with the watering of the plants.
Chair Sirois recommended that evergreen cuttings be put in the barrels for the winter season. Tony Russo will report back with the cost and feasibility of the department doing this work.
Concerns of the Commission:
567 Brewer Street – Trucks, garbage, dead branches, furniture in front yard
710 Brewer Street – yard still looks like a dump
743 Brewer Street – 2 unregistered cars parked on grass in front
Dolores Kehoe reported that the trailer is gone from Harvard Drive.
Members once again mentioned that hanging sneakers on wires are showing up again in town on Chapel Street.
Payment of Bills:
Theresa Godreau (clerk) $ 75.00
Richard Mourey (Staples/printer ink for Awards) $ 42.39
Marylee Hickey made the motion to pay the bills as submitted. Seconded by Sue Kickery. Approved.
Adjournment:
There being no further business, Betty Russell made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:56 p.m. Seconded by Dolores Kehoe. Approved.
The next meeting of the Commission will be October 1, 2009 in Building Department Conference Room at 7:15 p.m.
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