Beautification Commission Meeting
Thursday May 7, 2014
Present: Pat Byrnes; Elaine Dube; Dolores Kehoe; Mary Mourey; Pat Perron; Betty Russell;
Tony Russo; Pat Sirois; Luz Torres.
Also Present: Tim Bockus, Director/Public Works
Ted Fravel, Director/Parks and Recreation
Gary Zalucki, Assistant Zoning Official/Inspections and Permits
Justin Gatti – resident, 46 Tolland Street, East Hartford
ABSENT: Mike Benjamin, Inspections and Permits (excused)
Call to order:
Chair Sirois called the meeting of the Beautification Commission to order at 5:33 p.m.
MOTION By Mary Mourey
Seconded by Pat Byrnes
To add Beautification Awards under New Business
Approved.
Acceptance of minutes of march 6, 2014
Mary Mourey made a motion to accept the minutes of the March 6, 2014 meeting.
Seconded by Dolores Kehoe. Approved.
Opportunity for citizens to speak.
None at this time.
DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
Ted Fravel reported his department is working on the Summer Program brochure.
He also reported that he will be having high school students working during July and August for town wide clean up. They will work 5 hours per day cleaning the parks, walkways and pathways throughout town.
Tim Bockus reported his department sent out 2 letters in reference to tree removal:
- 125 Pratt Street – decaying Maple
- 896 Burnside Avenue – removal of a Maple tree
He reported on the following:
- A tree was removed in the right-a-way at Highview Street
- Trees were removed in the Raymond Library parking lot
- Volunteers cleaned the banks at Labor Field
- Town Hall – cedar tree was removed as well as the trees in the islands. Complete landscaping plans for the parking lot at Town Hall will be done.
- 18th year for the Town of East Hartford being named “Tree City”. A flag was presented to Goodwin School at the Arbor Day event. Tim is beginning to tabulate data for the Tree City application 2015.
- Concerns of the Commission (Building/Inspections)
Gary Zalucki reported on April’s concerns:
- 17 Jefferson Lane, a letter was sent to the homeowner
- 118 Main Street, the owner of the building next door plans on purchasing the property. There is an issue with the deed that is being taken care of by an attorney.
- 25 Strong Road, car parked in front – Mike Benjamin spoke to the owner. Dolores Kehoe stated that the car is still there. Gary Zalucki will contact the police department.
- 745 Burnham Street – department is working with the bank.
- 99 Broad Street – not the proper address.
- Colby Drive – mattresses on tree belt, taken care of
Commissioners brought up the following:
- Mattress on Mary Street
- Garbage at the corner of Prospect Street and Main Street
- Lights on Long Hill, Hillcrest, Burnham Street, Tim Bockus stated they are town lights but need to be re-energized by CL&P
- Street light on the corner of Garvan Street/So Prospect – Tim Bockus will look into this issue
Financial Report:
Mary Mourey reported the following:
April 2014 general budget $6731.14
May 2014 general budgetr $6715.21
Remembrance Fund $520.96 (this funding is ear-marked for Public Works to do work in Center Cemetery.) Tim Bockus stated that he would like to use the money for the Pitkin Street Island not Center Cemetery. Commissioners were in agreement with this decision.
Communications:
Chair Sirois received the following communication:
- Arbor Day Foundation
- Received a phone call from a concerned citizen about the trash in front of the store at Prospect Street/Main Street
Chair's report No report at this time.
old BUsiness:
Discussion was held on Arbor Day and the issues that occurred. The Beautification Commission was not recognized in the program. Chair Sirois was not placed in the program to speak. Chair Sirois was told that Town Council members never received invitations. The clerk will assist the next school in making sure all information gets to the proper dignitaries and the program acknowledges the Commission. She will email Laura White, Director of Fine and Performing Arts to find out what school will host Arbor Day 2015.
Tony Russo reported he went to Woodland Gardens and the plants are beginning to grow. This year there will be hot pink impatiens, white petunias, sweet potatoes, as well as ornamental grass in the planters throughout town.
The town maintenance department has been working on Pitkin Street. Tony stated that Alumni Park at the Town Green as well as the exterior of Hartford East is all cleaned, mulched and landscaped. Chair Sirois will contact Bill Doak, editor East Hartford Gazette, to take photos for the paper.
Discussion was held on Alumni Park kiosk. Tim Bockus reported there was a Bid walk-thru last week. Bids will be opened and awarded shortly. The goal is to have a new, electronic kiosk by the end of the summer.
- Garden Club meeting with Chair Sirois and Tim Bockus
Chair Sirois, Tim Bockus, Tony Russo met with Grace Reilly of the Garden Club and a Sugar Maple was planted through their donation on the tree-line at McAuliffe Park. Grace Reilly discussed the white oak that the club would like to donate and Tim Bockus said he would take it under consideration. Chair Sirois will write a thank you note to the Garden Club for the tree donation.
Ted Fravel stated that the McAuliffe Park and the ball fields are in good shape.
New BusineSS
Beautification Awards
Chair Sirois reported on the various areas that Goodwin College has landscaped throughout town. Not only did Goodwin College do plantings around the campus buildings, they also donated landscape design and plants in the area behind the Brewer House, and donated roses around the sculpture at Alumni Park. Landscape design and plantings are under consideration for Town Hall and have donated landscape design at Wickham Library, as well as the Golf Course Clubhouse.
MOTION By Dolores Kehoe
Seconded by Pat Byrnes
To award Goodwin College the Community Pride Award for June 2014.
Approved.
The clerk will email the suggested residential homes for review from July 2013 to the Commissioners.
It was recommended that Commissioners look for other residential properties as well as businesses.
OTHER BUSINESS
Resident Justin Gatti was present at the meeting and stated he purchased a home at 46 Tolland Street and would like to get involved with clean up in the town. He stated that Tolland Street is in need of improvement and is willing to assist in his neighborhood. He recommended having rubbish receptacles placed in the area. Tim Bockus stated that at one time there were rubbish receptacles but the issue was that residents were placing household rubbish in the receptacles causing a problem for pickup. Justin will contact Ted Fravel to volunteer for various clean up activities throughout town.
Payment of Bills:
Prior to payment of bills, Chair Sirois recommended that the clerk be paid for her work in April even though there was not a meeting. She stated the clerk contacted Commissioners via phone and email to let them know of the cancellation the day of the meeting. The meeting could not take place because of the short notification for the public.
Theresa Godreau (April/May 2014 - $75, each month) $ 150.00
Shemin’s (tree, bushes, planting items) $231.80
Discount Trophy $ 5.00
Mary Mourey made a motion to pay the bills as submitted. Seconded by Tony Russo. Approved.
Adjournment:
There being no further business, Mary Mourey made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:40 p.m. Seconded by Elaine Dube. Approved.
The next meeting of the Commission will be on June 4, 2014 in Building Department Conference Room at 5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Theresa Godreau, Clerk
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