Carl Junction cultivators ask aldermen for storage building to ease volunteer work at Memorial Park

Jennifer Gozzi, speaking for the Carl Junction Cultivators and Garden Club, told the Board of Aldermen that the volunteer group maintains the city’s walking garden at the 171/Dennel location, plants downtown planters and decorates public spaces seasonally, and that volunteers currently store supplies in the city public-works building where accessing materials requires carrying heavy items up a steep two-story stairwell.

“Our goal is just to make the city look more welcoming,” Gozzi said, noting the club funds projects and scholarship dollars from its plant-sale proceeds and performs all planting, trimming, mulching and watering. She asked the board to help the club find a ground-level storage location to reduce the safety risk and physical strain on volunteers.

Public Works staff proposed a practical solution: purchase and install a lockable storage building behind the Public Works building so volunteers could store and retrieve materials at ground level. A cost estimate discussed at the meeting ranged from about $7,000 to $8,000. The mayor and other board members indicated the item could be considered during the upcoming budget meeting.

Why it matters

The cultivators’ work supplies seasonal beautification, downtown planters and funding for local scholarships. Easier access to stored supplies would reduce the physical risk to long-time volunteers and support continued volunteer contributions to city maintenance and events.

Next steps

City staff said they would include a storage-building estimate in the budget discussions; the board directed staff to include the item for review in the budget packet so aldermen can consider funding during the budget process.

Ending

Gozzi said the club will hold an April plant sale at Memorial Park pavilion; board members thanked the volunteers for their ongoing work.