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Merchants Association plans events and asks city to share downtown planting costs; council agrees to one-third up to $600
Summary
A Merchants Association representative outlined plans for downtown beautification and a series of community events and asked the council to share plant costs; the council voted to pay one-third of the supertunia cost up to $600 and discussed volunteer watering and maintenance.
Leslie — Members of Leslie’s Merchants Association told the City Council on April 7 they plan a series of events this year and want to share responsibility for downtown planters and plantings.
The association representative reported the group will combine the Merchants Association and the town’s beautification committee to care for planters and plantings, and outlined a series of proposed events including a community barbecue/potluck with music this summer, “Christmas in July” on Saturday, July 26, a September celebration tied to the town’s “Whittling Capital of America” heritage (tentatively Sept. 6), a Jeep vs. classic car show Oct. 11 and participation in homecoming festivities. The representative said organizers expect to run fundraising activities and a passport program for merchants to encourage downtown visits.
On funding for planters, the Merchants Association representative said the association is preparing for “Supertunia planting season” and that plant costs are “anywhere between a thousand to $1,600.” The group requested the city pay one-third of the planting costs and to split the remainder with the Chamber or Buffalo River Development Commission. The council moved to approve a city contribution of one-third up to $600; the motion passed unanimously.
Council members emphasized that volunteer watering and regular upkeep are critical to preserve the plantings once purchased. A council member noted past volunteer stewards who watered regularly and warned that “you can spend $5,000 on flowers… it’s not gonna matter if you don't water” — the meeting record stresses the need for a specific volunteer watering schedule.
What’s next: the Merchants Association will proceed with event planning and coordinate purchase details with city staff; the city’s contribution is capped at $600 and receipts or a cost-sharing agreement will be used to document the transaction.
Quotes and attributions in this article come from the Merchants Association representative and council discussion recorded in the April 7 meeting transcript.
