Title
Update on "First Butterfly City" Activities (B)
This item is in response to a City Commission request to receive regular updates at appropriate times on "First Butterfly City" activities.
Explanation
On April 1, 2010, the City Manager received a request that staff place on an upcoming City Commission agenda an update on the Butterfly City Project. The following is a brief synopsis of the most recent development in regard to "First Butterfly City" activities.
At the direction of the City Manager, on June 23, 2009, Communications Manager Bob Woods arranged a meeting with Traffic Operations Manager Phil Mann, and Traffic Operations Supervisor Chris Dolan to discuss possible options in support of a Butterfly Education Project (BEP) request for the placement of Butterfly City signage in Gainesville. As an outcome of this meeting and as part of the city's in-kind contribution to the placement of butterfly city signage, Communications staff began to develop a Butterfly City mock-up sign, based on input from BEP representatives and Traffic Operations staff. Traffic Operations Manager Phil Mann agreed to additional in-kind support for this project by assuming responsibility for staff and equipment costs associated with the installation of up to six signs on existing sign poles at gateway sites entering the city.
On August 25, 2009, the Communications Manager met with Mr. Gabe Hillel and Mr. Pete Johnson of the BEP to discuss the extent of city support for the development and installation of Butterfly City signage. At a subsequent meeting, BEP representatives were provided with and verbally accepted the design mock up of the Butterfly City signage and cost estimates (approximately $750-$1000 total cost) for the fabrication of butterfly city signs to be located at up to six gateway sites around the city.
According to the Traffic Operations staff, the procedure followed by other non-profit organizations (such as the Arbor Day Foundation) whose past requests for street signage have been approved by the city, is for the external organization to assume the cost to have the signs fabricated externally. The only cost to the Butterfly Education Project for its signage request is for the actual cost of sign fabrication. It was the understanding of city staff that as an outcome of the meeting, BEP representatives will contact the city when the group had raised sufficient funds for an external vendor to fabricate the signs. Subsequent to this meeting, the Communications Office has not been contacted by the BEP regarding the status of signage issue.
Fiscal Note
There is no additional fiscal impact associated with providing identified in-kind support for this project.
Recommendation
The City Commission receive this update on "First Butterfly City" activities.