AGENDA #4i

memorandum

to: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager

from: Ray L. Kisiah, Jr., Director

Parks and Recreation Department

date: February 11, 2008

subject: Response to a petition from the Chapel Hill Garden Club

PURPOSE

Adoption of the attached resolution would authorize the Town Manager to provide staff support and financial assistance up to $800 to the Chapel Hill Garden Club in support of the Spring Garden Tour.

The Chapel Hill Garden Club is requesting co-sponsorship of the 7^th biennial Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour to be held April 12th and 13th in The Oaks and Meadowmont neighborhoods. The Chapel Hill Garden Club is requesting that the Town provide assistance to this project as follows:

To be listed in the Town events calendar
To be listed in the Community Billboard on Chapel Hill TV 18
To be listed in Chapel Hill enews
To be listed in Townweek
To consult with Catherine Lazorko, Town Information Officer
To coordinate with Butch Kisiah of the Parks and Recreation Department
To have the streets cleaned on the Tour route
To ensure that waste will be picked up before the Tour
To alert the police of the event
To be considered for financial support if any is available for events of this type.

BACKGROUND

The Spring Garden Tour of private gardens and the North Carolina Botanical Garden draws visitors from Chapel Hill, around the State and beyond. This tour is organized by the Chapel Hill Garden Club and the Club states that their goal is to foster a sense of community by providing an enjoyable recreational, cultural, and educational event. It also serves as a fundraiser for the North Carolina Botanical Garden's new environmentally sustainable Visitor Education Center and the community and educational projects of the club.

DISCUSSION

The Chapel Hill Garden Club is requesting services from the Town that would enhance the event in two ways. The first is to provide a safe, clean and inviting neighborhood to host the tour and second is to assist with the advertising and marketing of the event. The Chapel Hill Garden Club is requesting that the Town’s Public Information Officer and Parks and Recreation Director serve as the liaisons to the event from the Town. The services that the club is requesting in regard to public safety and cleanliness are services already provided by the Town . The advertising and marketing request would require the Town’s co-sponsorship of the event. The Club has also asked for up to $800 in financial support.

The Town has begun discussions with the Chapel Hill Garden Club about possible ways to cooperate on beautification efforts. We hope that the Club may be able to assist in landscaping projects at Town facilities and other properties, such as park entrance areas and Town gateways.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Town co-sponsor this event as requested and assist with the payment for posters advertising the event to be placed around town and on Chapel Hill Transit buses.