There was considerable discussion about an additional $80k in repairs for Evergreen Cemetery at the corner of Tamarind & L.A. Kirksey Street.  The problem with old cemeteries is that they were typically private enterprises when they were new, and funded & maintained via plot sales and fees.  But after a few generations, the plot sales dry up and there's no living relatives around anymore to finance regular maintenance.  So, the city is forced to take over management and maintenance of old, small cemeteries such as Evergreen and Woodlawn (on S. Dixie opposite PBAU). There was also a presentation by the city on their "5 Year Strategic Goals" required by the federal government in order to continue to receive about $5m per year in H.U.D. funding for affordable housing, homeless assistance, and HIV assistance. 

According to the consultant, 24% of WPB is "canopied," which is not a disgraceful number; but we've been losing trees recently.  So, the consultant recommends that the city plant 252 trees per year for 10 years on city land and streets.  She further recommends that the city encourage private homeowners to plant trees (15 gallon size) on private property---with the city doing most of the work to plant, monitor, and maintain them.  There was no cost estimate of this project discussed, but it sounded like it entailed hiring lots of new staff and subcontractors to plant and monitor trees.  The City Engineering Department also presented their "Capital Improvement Program Update," which mostly mentioned road repaving & storm sewer projects.  Bottom line: road repaving projects will increase in the next 2 years.

Aside from approving $6m in repairs to the downtown police station (new roof, HVAC, and gun range upgrades), this short commission meeting included some extremely exciting news: The Norton Musem of Art wants the city to approve a long-term lease on city property to construct a public art park.  The city-owned property is the entire block of grass median between Diana Place & Actaeon Place, including the roundabout median.  This is all part of The Norton's plan to revive their east entrance as the main entrace to the museum---as it was originally.  Even better, The Norton hired renowned architect Lord Norman Foster, still kicking at 90, to design "a world-class cultural / sculptural art park" that will make a popular destination of what used to be a drab, grass median abutting the intracostal.  Foster's other great works include "The Gherkin" in London, the ultra-modern dome above the Reichstag in Berlin, and "Apple Park" in Cupertino, CA.  So, art geeks near and far will come running to see this...