Beautification Committee May Wither After Mass Member Departure
With only one remaining member, the Beautification Committee may become inactive
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The Beautification Committee is down to a single member after 10 people left it.
"The main reason -- from what I was told -- is many of the members are getting up in years and don't have the energy they used to," City Council President Scott Marn said to his fellow Council members during a work session Tuesday.
Marn added that no residents have demonstrated interest in filling the void left by the mass departure.
In recent years, the city has had its Parks Department or independent contractors take over responsibilities that used to belong to the Beautification Committee. For example, the city will pay a contractor to care for it's rose garden this year, Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak.
Filipiak said paying the contractor was only a "modest cost."
Also, the beautification boxes throughout the city are now cared for by sponsors instead of the committee.
City Council, sans Bruce Landeg who was not present, discussed the possibility of dissolving the Beautification Committee but ultimately decided against it.
Councilman Robert Shiner noted the committee had charity 501(c)3 status and sold personalized bricks in the Commemorative Rose Garden so dissolving it might be complicated.
Instead, City Council decided to let the committee remain -- perhaps inactive but still inexistent -- in hopes that it might bloom again.
"We might have renewed interest," Councilwoman Janet Dowling noted.
Missy Andry
10:16 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
sounds like less useless spending. Sponsors are a good thing.
Jason Lea
10:22 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Hi Missy, thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. One note: the Beautification Committee was all volunteer. Their projects were/are supported by concessions at the summer concerts and the sale of commemorative bricks at the rose garden.
But, yes, the sponsors are a good thing. A quote from Filipiak that didn't make the story: "We're still committed to keeping Mentor beautiful."
Tom Szabo
11:53 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
My name is on Tom Szabo. I was on the Beautification Committe that planted the Rose Garden across from St. Mary's church. I was chilly on that day, but everyone who participated had a great time. I've always been pleased to see how well that small garden has been maintained and that it has stood the test of time.
I suppose it's just a sign of the times when residents are just too busy to care about community. After all, someone else will handle it - right? I'm all in favor of families supporting their kids events and camps, but let's not forget about being part of the community.