SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve establishing capital improvement project M2210, Clearwater Municipal Cemetery Renovations, in the amount of $600,000 for improvements to the Clearwater Municipal Cemetery located at 1300 South Myrtle Avenue and transfer $600,000 of general funds from the Parks and Recreation operating budget as a third quarter budget amendment. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The Clearwater Municipal Cemetery was established in 1877. The City of Clearwater has been responsible for the cemetery since its incorporation in 1915. The clerk’s office is responsible for the administration of the cemetery including the maintenance of all records, the selling of lots, transfer of ownership of lots, etc. The Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for the management, operation, maintenance, and general supervision of the Municipal Cemetery.
Prior to 2008, a full-time groundskeeper and crew maintained the cemetery. Unfortunately, due to budget reductions the cemetery lost its full-time groundskeeper, and the maintenance has since been done by a roving crew that provides grounds maintenance every other week. This as well as the lack of irrigation to the grounds has caused the cemetery to deteriorate in appearance.
Staff has already begun making improvements to the cemetery by removing the old fencing from around the perimeter and is in the process of removing diseased and dying trees from the cemetery grounds.
To continue making needed improvements, staff is recommending the creation of a new Capital Improvement Project to be funded by the transfer of $600,000 from Parks and Recreation general fund salary savings.
These funds will be used to provide irrigation, sod, and a shrub wall around the perimeter of the cemetery, landscape the entryways into the cemetery, repair the roads in the cemetery and install new signage.
Future funding will be requested annually in this newly established project to fund the phased installation of the irrigation system, new sod, and ongoing maintenance needs of the cemetery grounds.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
A third quarter budget amendment will establish capital improvement project M2210, Clearwater Municipal Cemetery Renovations, and provide a transfer of $600,000 of General Fund revenue representing salary savings in Parks and Recreation.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
N/A