Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep Kennedale Beautiful committee favors mulch while city schedules raised planter; asks council to consider renaming butterfly garden
Summary
At its June meeting the Keep Kennedale Beautiful volunteer committee recommended using mulch as an interim treatment for the garden entrance while the city solicits bids for a raised planter bed with a water feature. The committee also requested the council consider renaming the butterfly garden for WA Turner.
The Keep Kennedale Beautiful committee met in June and agreed the simplest interim approach for the garden entrance is to lay mulch while the city moves forward with a separate capital project to install a raised planter bed and water feature.
The chair said the committee had been ‘‘recognized for gold star affiliate’’ status and read recommendations from member Kim, quoting her: "To do nothing in the garden interest entrance is not an option." Kim’s written suggestions — mulch only, mulch with sweet potato vine, or plant begonias in light‑leaf varieties that tolerate sun and shade — framed the group’s discussion.
City staff told the committee the city is already soliciting estimates for a raised planter bed with a water feature and that the city manager wants the installation completed before the Hometown Christmas event, leaving a limited window for any interim plantings. A staff member said city timing and budget considerations mean temporary plantings could be removed when construction begins.
Committee members weighed cost and maintenance. One member recommended mulch as the lowest‑cost, lowest‑maintenance option, while others suggested the sweet potato vine as a cheap, quick‑filling temporary planting. Members questioned whether seasonal flowers should be planted only to be torn out before construction, and discussed removing several crape myrtles to increase sunlight for future plantings.
The committee also reported 113 volunteer hours logged in May and noted a list of adopt‑a‑spot signs that need updated "available" plates. Members asked staff to place on the July city council agenda a proposal to rename the butterfly garden the WA Turner Butterfly Garden; they said they will present historical photos and sign design options. The committee referenced prior signage costs of about $1,500 as a planning benchmark.
A motion to approve last month’s minutes was made, seconded, and the chair said the motion carried; the transcript does not record a roll‑call tally. The chair adjourned the meeting at 6:16 and reminded members there would be no garden work session the next morning.
What happens next: staff will continue soliciting bids for the raised planter project and the committee will prepare materials for the July council agenda to support the proposed renaming and sign funding request.
