Skip Navigation
This table is used for column layout.
7-28-15 Minutes
Salem Beautification Committee Meeting minutes 7/28/15

In Attendance:  Marc Berube, Lisa Lyons, Ellen Talkowsky, Sandi Power, Bev Moustakis, Mary Ellen Halliwell

Absent: Sam Fiore, Marcia Lambert, Judith Wolfe

Guest: Kate Fox (Destination Salem),  Flora Tonthat

Meeting Started at 7:00 pm

1. Destination Salem – banner discussion (Guest: Kate Fox, Destination Salem)

DISCUSSION:
  • Destination Salem took on the street banner program.
  • Seasonal banners along with sponsor banners.
  • Original vision was to do winter, spring and summer banners and underwrite cost of installation and hardware.  The cost for the materials, hardware and installation would be covered by sponsorships.  
  • Kate is looking for feedback to make changes to program.  
  • Almost a $40K expense per year.  Each banner is about $100/$150 total including hardware and installation.
  • Destination Salem has lost about $10K per year with this program due to damaged banners and replacement costs.
  • Mary Ellen suggested approaching neighborhood associations for sponsorship and to consider the banner program to generate ideas to promote their neighborhoods.
  • A suggestion was made that Green Lawn Cemetery may be an idea to tap for sponsorship.
  • Businesses spend $1000K for 4 banners displayed for 10 months per year.
  • Kate invited BCOM to post any of our planned events at Events.Salem.Org.  This is Destination Salem’s calendar for Salem organizations to post their events.  
  • Kate also informed us that there is an app available for smart phones regarding Destination Salem and Events.Salem.Org.
2.Window Box Competition

DISCUSSION:

  • Ellen reported that we had a decent amount of entries for the competition.  Seventeen entries with ten of them being new entries.
  • Lisa led the charge with distributing flyers around town businesses and neighborhoods.  
  • The award categories this year are: Residential, New entry Residential, Business, New entry Business – 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
  • The Garden Club will judge the entries.
  • The competition was advertised on Facebook.
  • Judging will happen the weekend of 8/1/15.
  • Ellen needs assistance with coordinating the assembling of the certificates/photos/frames etc. on Wednesday, 8/5/15 @ 2:00 PM. Meet in Ellen’s office. Ellen will send an email to the BCOM team with these details.
  • The BCOM’s Choice Awards will be voted on by the team.  Ellen will send a list to the team for award consideration.
3.  Traffic Islands

DISCUSSION:
  • Sandi suggested some “beautifying” needs to be done at the Wall across the street from Mill Hill Island near the train tracks.
  • Consider options to tie in beautification for that area to tie in to the Riley Plaza “look” in addition to the Mill Street Island project, once completed.
  • It was suggested that we should consider doing a fall clean sweeps at that space.
  • Lots of work has been done on Riley plaza and the three gardens at Lafayette Park.  Transplanting from other area islands and Riley Plaza to the Lafayette Park area to beautify.  
  • We will plan next spring during clean sweeps to clean up Lafayette Park and add mulch to prevent weeds etc.  Sandi and her team beautified the area with 15 bags of mulch.
4. Mill Street Island Projects Update

DISCUSSION:
  • Marc & Ellen met with Tom O’Shea of DPW to confirm measurements of the Island and placement of the 5 pots as well as the pea stone and mulch.
  • Tom has purchased the materials/parts for the drip system that will be connected to each of the 5 pots.
  • Once Tom and his team have completed the drip system, mulch and pea stone, we will shop for plants for the pots and island.
  • This work will be completed in early August.  
5. Active Duty Service Island – Construction Project Impact

DISCUSSION:
  • The island will be dismantled due to intersection roadwork and redesign either in September or spring of 2016.
  • Discussion around repurposing the flowers to the Mill Street Island Project or move to sections in front of Modern Millie’s & Red’s Sandwich Shop on Central Street which could use some beautifying. Decisions TBD.
6. Lady of Salem (LOS)

DISCUSSION:
  • LOS new rack cards for 2015 to be placed at the visitor center, hotels and distributed to businesses etc.
  • August 1st event at the Maritime Festival, Derby Wharf.  
  • Artist Jean Parre will be at the BCOM tent decorating her Lady of Salem.
  • Bev, Lisa and Mary Ellen to staff the LOS/BCOM table/tent.
  • The cut out LOS, blank LOS and the travelling LOS will be on display.
  • August 22nd – 23rd event at the Antique Boat show – BCOM/LOS will have table there with LOS on display.
  • Mary Ellen to take pictures of these events to be posted by Lisa on our BCOM Facebook page.
7. Old/New Business

DISCUSSION:

  • Sandi reported Garden Stroll day had a decent turnout despite hot weather. 300 tickets for the day were sold. Sandi to email pictures to Lisa for use in the future and for Facebook.
  • Will schedule a planning meeting during end of year/December timeframe to create strategic plan for 2016 as well as budgeting funds for projects.
  • Keep Public Garden spaces in mind when planning 2016 funds and activities.
  • Consider hosting a “coffee chat” at the Lafayette Park Apartment complex to see if we can get neighborhood residents involved with maintaining the beauty of Lafayette Park and the neighborhood.
  • Deborah Greel, the city’s Public Art Planner who is in charge of managing Artists Row and Old Town Hall areas sent note to Ellen asking if BCOM could provide any pots/plants for the Town Hall Derby Square area, the Front Street side.  Ellen suggested to have the 3 black urns moved from the Salem fountain to this area.  Ellen will make arrangements for the DPW to transfer these to this area to complement the entrances to the Old Town Hall – front and back entrances.  A mandate for BCOM to approve of this was based on Deborah to ensuring the watering of the urns/plants going forward.

MOTION:  
  • A motion was made to spend BCOM funds, not to exceed $100, to fill one of the black urns.
  • Another motion to adjourn was made and seconded and all in favor.
  • Meeting adjourned @ 8:18 pm.

MOTIONS________X________ SECONDED________X___________ ALL IN FAVOR_______X________


Respectfully submitted,

Marc Berube