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DID board votes to end flower‑basket contract, reallocates funds to tree lighting and downtown activations
Summary
The board voted to terminate the flower‑basket program immediately (Palm Avenue merchants will assume responsibility for their baskets) and approved roughly $78,205 to light core Main Street intersections, reallocating approximately $80,000 from the basket budget toward lighting and streetscape improvements.
At the April 13 meeting the DID board voted to end the flower‑basket program for the remainder of the fiscal year, directing staff to terminate the vendor contract through appropriate channels and to notify City Commission of the board's plan to reallocate funds toward downtown beautification.
The motion included an exception: Palm Avenue merchants, represented by Eileen, will maintain baskets on Palm Avenue at their own cost rather than have the DID continue payment. Board members discussed phased approaches and noted the contract is bid per basket; removal costs were cited during discussion (board members referenced roughly $100 per basket removal in the transcript), and staff said contract pricing and removal fees would be confirmed in writing.
Staff proposed reallocating approximately $131,000 in available funds—about $80,000 from the basket line—toward priority lighting and activations. The board approved a motion to fund core tree‑lighting work at three Main Street intersections (Main & Palm, Main & Pineapple, Main & Lemon) at a cost of about $78,205 and asked staff to return with firm costs to repaint light poles and refresh trash cans. Board members also discussed reserving funds for park activations and marketing.
Board members asked staff to develop a public communications plan so removal of baskets would not appear to be abandonment but part of a larger reallocation toward visible downtown improvements; staff said they would prepare before‑and‑after visuals and social posts documenting improvements. The board also authorized a member (Chris Volker) to draft a letter and speak on the DID board's behalf at the City Commission public hearing on the special‑events ordinance.
What happens next: staff will terminate the basket contract per required notices, return with exact removal and repainting costs, finalize the tree‑lighting schedule and report back on fund reallocation and a communications plan.
