Board reviews parade and centennial debriefs and outlines volunteer events including air potato roundup and Earth Day

The City of Sebastian Natural Resource Board used its Jan. 7 meeting to review recent outreach events and to firm up volunteer and programming details for several upcoming activities, including a community air potato removal on Feb. 8 and the Earth Day/Arbor Day celebration scheduled for April 26.

Staff presented a slideshow of Christmas parade photos and briefly reviewed the centennial celebration. Board members suggested several parade improvements for next year: pick a consistent staging location (some asked to be placed behind the city council), have two people on the float handing out items, reduce high‑sugar candy for safety, stamp or print seed packets with the board’s name and a QR code linking to city activities, and develop a more consistent themed float and decorations. Staff said they will order new giveaways early and requested samples for preapproval through the city purchasing process.

Staff announced the Great Air Potato Roundup, a partnership with the Pelican Island Audubon Society, to be held at Stormwater Park (the stormwater treatment facility off Engler Drive). The event will have three volunteer shifts (9–11 a.m., 11 a.m.–1 p.m., 1–3 p.m.). Board members were asked to serve as volunteer leads (one to two people per shift) and to preregister volunteers where possible. Staff said an online waiver will be available and that minors will need a parent or guardian signature; paper waivers will be on site for walk‑ups.

Planning for Earth Day/Arbor Day on April 26 will include a living shoreline (buffered shoreline) volunteer planting in partnership with ORCA, a chalk art contest, a reading of The Lorax from the stage, vendor booths (Environmental Learning Center, UF/IFAS Master Gardeners and others have expressed interest) and a Florida Wildlife Hospital booth that will bring non‑release ambassador animals as an educational display (no public touching). Staff said they will move the chalk art location so both the buffered shoreline planting and the contest can proceed without conflict and that vendor and food‑truck applications will be distributed earlier than in prior years.

Board members offered to help recruit vendors and food trucks and suggested locating the Natural Resource Board booth adjacent to animal displays to draw more visitors. A board member also offered to supply butterflies for the event, and members suggested contacting local bee and honey vendors for an observation hive or other educational displays. Staff asked members to submit volunteer availability and any procurement requests well ahead of the event to meet city purchasing timelines.

No formal votes were taken on these items; staff will return a more detailed event timeline and finalized volunteer assignments at the next meeting.