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Decision about flower program’s future to come soon

Mar 19, 2013 | 6:26 AM

The fate of Prince Albert’s flower maintenance program may be decided in the next council meeting.

The program has been under fire from Coun. Lee Atkinson, who recommended the program be curtailed during Monday’s executive committee meeting. He modified his motion after Mayor Greg Dionne requested a friendly amendment to allow community services director Greg Zeeben to look into the cost to continue to maintain flowers at the cemetery and at the golf course.

“I think it becomes obvious during budget deliberations all the needs we have in this city for all kinds of things, all good causes, all good wishes, external agencies with all the things they’d like to do. I think relative to the list of all the needs in this community, in excess of $40,000 annually, and when I add that up over the last six years, it’s a quarter million dollars we’ve spent on floral decorations,” Atkinson said after the meeting.

“Really? Does anyone feel that much better? And if they’re not there, I don’t think for the most part most people will miss them. And we’ll have some dialogue hopefully with the community and if people think they’d like to put something in, I think we’ll have an opportunity. And if this motion passes, perhaps in next year’s budget we can put some money in to buy some of the material to put in some of the ideal locations,” he said.

“But I think in my estimation, we’ve wasted a quarter million dollars we could have spent in other, better places.”

The executive committee was presented with a report by assistant parks manager Dan Sadlowski recommending that a more than $39,000 tender to Claribel’s Plant Shop be denied. In the report, Sadlowski said the product supplied by Claribel’s has raised many concerns. “The contractor does not live in Prince Albert so the response time is less than acceptable. Concerns have been expressed regarding poor plant selection and weed management and also growth rate of flowers in current program.”

With that, he also recommended city staff and non-profit groups plant and maintain plants this year, that the barrel and planter program be “suspended” for this year and locations and maintenance strategies be re-evaluated and that the city turns to a local business for floral supplies.

In 2012, Claribel’s received $26,291.34 to supply, plant and maintain plants in Prince Albert. The business requested a more than $11,000 increase for 2013.

During the meeting, Atkinson said it’s not about the specific amount, but the cumulative effect. He said there are greater needs in the community than floral decorations.

“Whether it be about transit, whether it be about all sorts of things, and to me, relative to the constraints we have and the issues we have, you know what, I’d rather see $40,000 annually go to playground equipment that actually has a duration and get use from the community. That I see has value.”

As part of his suggestion, those in the community who are willing to participate in maintaining the city’s flowers could, “as a transition point” in the next year.

“Relative to all the needs of this community, this is not a high priority,” he said. “And I think we have to channel these resources to something else.”

After Atkinson presented his motion, Coun. Rick Orr asked Zeeben if the floral arrangements at the tourism information centre at the city’s entrance. Zeeben said, as per the department’s recommendations, cemetery staff would plant and maintain the display at that site.

If the program ends, this work will not be done.

And Zeeben suggested that perennials be used instead of annuals in places such as the golf course. Annuals bloom in only one year, while perennials return year after year.

“Those would be long-term investments and actually reduce our maintenance costs. The reason why we have made the recommendations that we have is that we’re seeing that the barrel and planter program in particular are starting to cost us a lot of money, but I do feel that the golf course and the cemetery are two locations where we would like to have some funds available for us to buy some material and use it to beautify those two locations,” he said.

While Atkinson amended his motion – which will go to a council vote during the March 25 meeting – he voiced his opposition to the barrel and planters after the meeting.

“Look at where we live, this is over $40,000 for something that is seasonal. I think we can spend it in other, better places,” Atkinson said.

He said he suggested to Coun. Charlene Miller – who during the weekend budget committee meeting, called for an extension of Saturday bus service – the amount for the floral program be re-allocated.

“So if we want to move the allocation there for something that’s tangible, I know the buses sometimes smell, but that smell might be more appreciated than the smell of flowers.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames