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Commission selects Elks Club as preferred venue for Tree City USA event; seeks to confirm May 6, 2026 date
Summary
Members of the Environmental Entry Advisory Commission reviewed venue quotes for the regional Tree City USA awards event, recommended the Elks Club as the most cost-effective location, and agreed to firm up the date and logistics including registration pricing, vendor spaces and possible sponsorships.
The Environmental Entry Advisory Commission on Aug. 28 reviewed venue quotes and preliminary logistics for Maumee's Tree City USA awards event and recommended the Elks Club as the preferred site, with a tentative event date of May 6, 2026.
Bill Bury and other members presented price quotes from three venues — Pinnacle, Parkway and the Elks Club — and reported that the Elks Club's per-person cost was substantially lower. "So the total here is $27.71 per person," Bury said. He and two other members who toured local venues recommended the Elks Club because of lower cost and a location they said better showcases Maumee.
Commissioners discussed registration pricing, sponsorships and vendor fees as standard ways to cover event costs. Members noted prior regional events have charged $25–$40 per person and compared the commission's $27.71 per-person food cost to similar conferences such as an urban-forestry daylong conference priced at $35.
Next steps the commission agreed to were to contact the Elks Club to confirm availability for May 6, 2026, request deposit requirements and then notify the other venues. The commission also discussed organizing vendor tables and possible sponsor outreach; members noted space for vendors and a full building rental would be preferable to allow room for booths as well as the banquet.
On staffing and leadership, commissioners discussed appointing co-chairs to coordinate event planning. One commissioner volunteered to lead and asked staff to reach out to other members (Rob and Jody) to identify a co-chair or co-chairs to divide responsibilities.
The commission also reviewed related outreach and upcoming educational events: a young-tree training class scheduled for Nov. 20 (9:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Police Training Room), a July/August-area urban-forestry conference at Bluffton University (noted as Oct. 23 in materials) with a $35 early registration fee, a rain-barrel workshop tentatively set for Oct. 27, and a community film screening about Lake Erie algal blooms on Sept. 3 (doors at 6 p.m., movie at 6:30 p.m.).
No formal motion to book the Elks Club was recorded at the meeting; members agreed to pursue the venue and report back with deposit information and a finalized event budget and registration fee recommendation.
