NUMB:
970493
VERS:
ORIGINAL
REF:
XXBY:
ALD. SCHERBERT
TITL:
Resolution directing the Department of Public Works- Forestry Division to prepare a report for the Common Council on the City's boulevard maintenance practices and budget.
ANLS:
- Analysis -
This resolution authorizes and directs the Department of Public Works-Forestry Division to prepare a written report on the City's past, current and future boulevard maintenance practices and expenditures and to submit such report to the Common Council no later than 45 days from adoption of the resolution.
BODY:
Whereas, Milwaukee's landscaped boulevards, which contain ornamental trees and shrubs and colorful flower beds, have long been a source of pride for city residents and have left a positive impression on countless visitors to the city; and
Whereas, Any significant reduction in maintenance of the City's boulevards will have a negative impact on the quality of life for Milwaukee residents; and
Whereas, The City Forester has indicated that, over the next 30 years and in an effort to cut costs, turf irrigation systems will be eliminated on boulevards throughout the city and beds of annual flowers will gradually be replaced with perennial beds; and
Whereas, The City Forester has also indicated that, along some boulevards where watering systems are eliminated, flower beds will completely disappear and be replaced by trees and shrubs; and
Whereas, These reductions in boulevard maintenance are not reflected in the City's 1996-2001 Capital Improvements Program, which budgets $200,000 for "Concealed Irrigation & Landscaping City Boulevards" each year; and
Whereas, In the 1995 City budget, as presented by the Mayor to the Common Council, the Department of Public Works-Forestry Division was directed to prepare a comprehensive plan for maintenance of landscaped areas under its jurisdiction, the most significant of which are the approximately 120 miles of landscaped boulevards in the city; and
Whereas, In August, 1996, the Forestry Division produced a final draft of its "Comprehensive Boulevard Study," also referred to as a "Comprehensive Boulevard Plan," a document which has never been formally approved by the Common Council; and
Whereas, This plan, as one of its primary goals, calls for the reduction of the cost of landscaped area maintenance; and
Whereas, This plan also presents a boulevard maintenance system which provides for 3 classes of boulevard maintenance -- "standard, reduced and minimum levels" -- differentiated by plant material types, irrigation configurations and maintenance crew responsibilities; and
Whereas, While the plan specifies the percentage of boulevards in each of the 3 maintenance categories, it does not present a timeline for changing boulevard maintenance from current levels to the levels proposed or state when the reclassification of boulevards will be completed; and
Whereas, The 1996 study found that maintenance of the City's boulevards is very important to Milwaukee citizens and business owners and that Milwaukeeans prefer flowers, rather than shrubs and trees, in their boulevards; and
Whereas, By its past actions, such as amending the 1997 City budget to restore boulevard watering, turf fertilization and maintenance to 1996 levels, the Common Council has demonstrated its willingness to listen to constituent comments on boulevard appearance and its commitment to keeping boulevard maintenance at a high level; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of Public Works- Forestry Division is authorized and directed to prepare a written report on the City's boulevard maintenance practices and budget for the years 1990 through 1997 and on proposed boulevard maintenance practices and expenditures for future budget years; and, be it
Further Resolved, That this report shall focus on the status of implementation of the boulevard maintenance classification scheme presented in the Forestry Division's 1996 "Comprehensive Boulevard Study," including the timeline for converting all boulevards to one of the 3 maintenance levels specified in the study; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the information contained in this report shall include, but shall not be limited to, boulevard maintenance staffing levels, boulevard maintenance budget levels, number of miles of boulevards landscaped and/or irrigated, number of annual flower beds versus perennial flower beds, total number of flower beds and number of miles of boulevards to which weed-killer is applied and the frequency of such application, each reported on an annual basis wherever possible; and, be it
Further Resolved, That such report shall also describe in detail the City's current practice with respect to damaged boulevard irrigation systems (i.e., are they repaired, removed or simply left in place until the street is reconstructed, at which time they are either removed or replaced); and, be it
Further Resolved, That this report shall provide a comparison of the cost of keeping City boulevard maintenance, including irrigation systems and types of plantings, at its current level, versus the cost of boulevard maintenance after the Forestry Division's reduced boulevard maintenance plan has been fully implemented; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Forestry Division shall submit this report to the Common Council no later than 45 days from the date of adoption of this resolution by the Common Council.
ZDPT:
DFTR:
LRB97387.1
JDO
6/19/97
CATTis
resolution by the Common Council.
ZDPT:
DFTR:
LRB97387.1
JDO
6/19/97
CATT