Milton CRA adopts annual report, approves $30,800 holiday-decor purchase and $6,500 park apron

The City of Milton’s Community Redevelopment Agency approved its 2025 annual report and a series of spending items on Tuesday, including the purchase of two pre-decorated holiday trees and a $6,500 concrete apron for a park food-truck pad.

Mr. Preston, the staff presenter for the CRA, told the council the annual report is required by state statute and summarizes last year’s CRA activity, including capital outlays such as multiple parking-lot resurfacings and a $50,000 business-improvement program targeted at commercial properties. "The CRA is solely funded through the TIF," Mr. Preston said, referring to tax increment financing, and added, "In the last year alone, 16% growth within our CRAs." He asked the board to adopt the report to meet the March 31 filing deadline.

Councilman Cusack moved to adopt the annual report; the motion carried unanimously among members present. The adoption was recorded for submission to the state as required.

Council members then considered a phased purchase of downtown holiday decorations from Jubilee, including an 18-foot tree for the Caroline and Willing Street corner and a larger roughly 31–32-foot tree for Jernigan's Landing. Mr. Preston said the vendor’s products are pre-decorated, warrantied and serviceable at the vendor’s Andalusia facility, and that ordering now yields a $6,000–$8,000 discount. He put the two-tree price at $30,000 and noted freight would add about $800, bringing the total to $30,800.

"This $30,000 will be paid out of the CRA," Mr. Preston said, and staff recommended approval. Councilman Cusack moved to approve the purchase; the motion was seconded and, after brief questions about warranty and transport, the council voted unanimously to buy the trees. Staff said the city will store the decorations in a weatherproof connex on a concrete pad and that the vendor will repair or replace defective panels if needed.

To cover the purchase, staff asked the board to transfer funds previously set aside for a land-acquisition program after an RFP outcome left that set-aside unused. Council approved a budget amendment, recorded in the meeting as Resolution No. 2026-02, to move the $30,800 into the appropriate CRA account for the purchase.

The council also approved an additional $6,500 to install a curb cut and small concrete apron at the Carpenters Park food-truck pad. Staff said the extra work addresses erosion and a stream-remediation need; it will be performed by the city’s regular concrete contractor under existing contract terms. With that approval, staff reported an estimated remaining balance in the CRA 2 capital-outlay account that will roll forward to the next fiscal year.

Mr. Preston said concrete could be poured within about a week, weather permitting, and that once the park’s splash pad opens the food-truck area will be available for reservations through Parks and Recreation. With no further CRA business, the mayor adjourned the CRA meeting and the council moved on to the evening’s next agenda item.

Notes: votes on the recorded items were unanimous among members present; the transcript indicates two members were absent for at least part of the meeting. Exact vote tallies and the names of every voter were not specified in the public record provided.