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Milton CRA approves $25,000 first phase to replace downtown Christmas decorations
Summary
The City of Milton’s CRA unanimously approved a $25,000 phase‑one purchase to begin replacing aging downtown holiday decorations after staff presented vendor options and residents raised concerns about boardwalk lighting and storage. Staff said the items could last 10–20 years and are storeable by the vendor.
The City of Milton Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously to approve a first‑year, up‑to $25,000 purchase to begin replacing downtown Christmas decorations.
City staff presented the proposal, saying the current ornaments have been in use about 23 years and that a phased approach would spread costs while reducing annual replacement spending. "The request is for a phased approach at no more than $25,000 for this first year," said Mr. Presta Sater, who outlined vendor options and sample items manufactured by Jubilee Decorations in Andalusia.
The nut graf: the purchase, approved as Phase 1 by the CRA, is intended to refresh downtown photo‑op areas (including the South End Gazebo where Santa typically sits) and to reduce recurring replacement costs. Staff told the board the $25,000 package includes a 12‑foot walk‑in ornament, two larger trees (an 8‑ and 10‑foot option), several smaller LED trees and stacked ornament displays, with logo customization and no shipping cost if the city picks up items.
Staff framed the decision within CRA rules: CRA funds must be spent on projects that appear in the CRA plan. "As long as it's in the CRA plan, it's an eligible expenditure," staff said during the meeting, and they noted that using CRA funds for decorations would come at the opportunity cost of pausing other projects — the presenter said roughly $25,000 would otherwise cover about two sidewalks.
On durability and service, staff said Jubilee Decorations manufactures commercial‑grade, powder‑coated aluminum and steel pieces and offers warranty/repair service; other cities that use that vendor reported product life spans in the 10–20 year range. "They will test them, make sure that everything is operational, and then it decreases our amount of staffing hours required for the upkeep of the product," staff said. The council asked about storage costs for offsite warehousing; staff said that cost has not yet been secured and will be researched.
Residents who spoke during public comment supported updating holiday decorations while urging attention to related downtown issues. "We also need to invest some time working on fixing all that up too," said Shari Sebastien, referencing nonworking lights and boardwalk condition. Teresa Messick, who gave a city address, said she applauded the return to more extensive decorations but warned that offsite storage can lead to items disappearing and preferred having items on hand.
Council members generally supported a phased approach. Councilman Houghton said the downtown events would benefit from an update, and the board discussed assigning a council member to lead a focus group for longer‑term planning. Staff also noted a separate presentation to the community improvement board is scheduled for November 4 (with another date mentioned as December 5) to continue coordination on tree and downtown improvements.
Councilman Powers moved to approve Phase 1 as written and Councilman Hawthorne seconded. The CRA board unanimously approved the motion.
Next steps: staff will research storage cost/options, follow up on street‑lighting coverage and gazebo repairs, and return with further details for subsequent phases and any procurement steps required by later phase costs.
