Beautification Committee Minutes 4-15-25

Beautification Committee Meeting notes 4/15/25

Attended:  Nancy Dunbar, Carole Betts, Mary Ellen Burr, Hannah Garrison, Toni Hayes, Ryan Kolder, Rita McKee, Barb Mullin, Donisue Rupp, Jean Swanson, Terry Thielen, John Waters, Amanda Winklemann

Parks: Ashby - Toni has cleaned up beds and noticed some perennials didn’t make it , Beaverdale - cleanup and Easter Egg Hunt went well, Westchester - Nancy and Amanda will prune roses, Bel-Aire and Palm Islands - John has done cleanup

Trees:   Carolyn Wissler has chosen a red oak to be planted on Saturday, May 3rd, at 11am.  Nancy tagged a balled and burlapped tree at Miller Nursery who will handle the planting. It will be near Delos’ tree in the median between 48th St. and 48th Place. A nearby declining crabapple tree will be removed by the city. The oak will need to be watered for 2 seasons. Ryan volunteered to water using the hole in the bucket technique.  Nancy was able to get a metal plate to hang on the tree from Image 360 who had purchased Ardick. 

Urbandale median: Nancy and Mary Ellen have been picking up trash. The bed at 34th street has been cleaned up by someone?  Nancy will get a bag of compost for it.  Donisue and Nancy pruned the nepeta at the intersection. The sign bed roses still need to be pruned.  Marion’s grandkids would like to do a Walk-a-thon trash pickup to celebrate Marion’s birthday next July.  His birthday is the 16th.   

Streetscape: The streetscape beds have not been cleaned up yet.  Tom Boesen rescued the Ironworks planter in front of Basic Bird and will try to get it back in place. A bench was destroyed in front of Dam Pub, the SMIDD will try to replace it.

Flowers: The order for parks, islands and median beds (19.5 flats)  will be picked up May 16/17. Nancy will try to get a time slot for Friday morning.  John, Terry and Nancy can pick up.  Planting will occur after pickup weather permitting. 

2025 Garden Walk, June 7, 9am-3pm: confirmed gardens: Laura McFarland, Amber Siever, Angela  & Bill Lawrence, Ryan Kolder, Doug Sullivan, Rachel Rolfes, Nancy Dunbar

Sponsors include Manscapes Lawn Service, Bentley Ridge Nursery, and a local Iowa Realtor at the Platinum level. Ted Lare,Garden Groomers, and Plant Life Designs at Gold.  Knicks Fabrication and a ReMax realtor at Silver. Valley View Farms at Bronze. 

Ryan Kolder has designed the bookmark, and poster. Will start work on the brochure now that all descriptions are in. Terry brought old banners and yard signs to show Ryan.  Online tickets will be sold via eventbrite for $10 plus service fee. Bookmarks and posters will have QR code to eventbrite.  300 tickets will be available online and 300 in 4 Beaverdale businesses.  300 brochures will be available at the gardens for online ticket holders to pick up. 

Jean will organize volunteers: 2 shifts, 9-noon, noon-3.  There will be a pre-tour for gardeners, and volunteers.  Ryan suggested including sponsors and having beverages and small bites at the end at his garden.

BNA board: Terry Thielen reported that the storeroom is being cleaned and organized. 41st street by Snookies is now closed for reconstruction. You can leave Snookies parking lot via Westminster parking lot to the north. 

Next meeting: May 20, 6:30pm at 4326 Hickman Road, Jean Swanson will let you in.