Changes are coming to the way Trail handles its Communities in Bloom program following the departure of the local group’s longtime chair.
City council this week agreed to provide oversight of the program through a new committee and find a consultant to create a long-term plan for the city’s flowerbeds. But they declined to hire two new staff members, preferring instead to stick with a model that sees much of the planting and maintenance contracted out.
Trail has participated in Communities in Bloom, a national beautification program, since 2001, and in that time has received several provincial and national awards. Local efforts have been led by a volunteer-run committee. The City of Trail provides support and controls the annual budget, but isn’t involved in day-to-day operations.
According to a memo to council from city staff, maintenance of the city’s 140 flowerbeds has been contracted to M.B. Landscape Designs of Nelson since 1995. The contract, which expires in October, was worth $133,250 this year. The city also budgeted $145,000 for Communities in Bloom services and materials this year, of which a little over two-thirds went to contractor Rachel Brown to look after planting and maintenance of various planters, pots, hanging baskets, and window baskets. Brown also volunteers.
The staff memo explained that in 2012, a report reviewing the city’s committee system flagged the governance of Communities in Bloom as an area of concern, because it didn’t operate with direct oversight from council. It recommended Communities in Bloom become a non-profit society. However, no action was taken.
The city looked at its committee structures again last year, and Communities in Bloom was raised once more, but the group indicated it wasn’t interested in seeking non-profit status. The matter came to a head after Dan Rodlie, their driving force for over 23 years, resigned in July, and no one was prepared to take his place.
City staff recommended to council this week that Communities in Bloom become a committee of council, based on a suggestion by the organization’s national body. After a lengthy discussion, council accepted that idea.
But except for mayor Colleen Jones, council rejected adding two people to the city payroll, either as seasonal or full-time employees. City staff had recommended hiring the pair to work on flower beds from April through October and shovel snow from November through March.
The city will instead continue with a model that sees third parties do the gardening, although the next tender will combine what has until now been two separate contracts. Expressions of interest are due Oct. 3. The city will also hire a consultant to create an overall plan for the city’s flowerbeds, at a cost of up to $10,000.
The note from city staff warned that creating the new committee of council comes with the risk that some volunteer support might be lost. But changing how the program is structured shouldn’t be interpreted as the city not valuing the work of volunteers or being unhappy with them, city manager Colin McClure told council.
“That absolutely isn’t it,” he said. “It’s more administrative and protection from the city being liable. We hope we would have that [volunteer] support again. Hopefully it doesn’t dissuade or demoralize anyone.”
Speaking in favour of the select committee, Jones said there was “a lot of emotion” in the decision. “We’ve worked besides these people for so many years and gotten to know them,” she said. “I don’t want to see the volunteers leave.”
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