Commissioners set house-of-month schedule, cleanup dates and review project updates

Commissioners allocated months for the house-of-the-month program and tasked Ray to draft selection criteria emphasizing improvements, drought-resistant landscaping and neat appearance; staff will check candidate addresses for open code cases before final selection.

For the business-of-the-quarter award, commissioners agreed to gather a list of prior winners and to open nominations broadly; the vote on the quarter award was deferred to March to allow staff time to compile records.

The commission set tentative citywide cleanup dates consistent with last year: April 27 for spring and a tentative September 28 for fall, with a caveat to check for conflicts with other local events.

During commissioner reports, city engineer Nisha said cost estimates for Wheeler Tennis Court repairs produced savings that could permit either bike racks or painted crosswalks; she offered to return with paint-color requirements and a back-of-the-envelope cost estimate for a larger crosswalk project.

Commissioners also arranged to geolocate four benches on General Jim Moore Boulevard and asked staff (Billy) to use survey equipment to record GPS locations so placement can be duplicated precisely. Staff said they will form an ad-hoc committee for utility-box art and issue an RFP for local artists. On trees, commissioners clarified a $15,000 allocation exists and that planting on parks requires concept and watering plans before funds are used for new plantings on city-owned property.

The chair agreed to place budget-planning discussion for FY2024-25 on the March agenda so commissioners can begin preparing proposals earlier than in prior years.