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Agenda Item: 8B |
Prepared By: Jim Kornas |
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Business: Old Business |
Department: Executive Office |
Subject:
Title
2025 Marco In Bloom Contest Update (L. Scherzinger)
Body
BACKGROUND: At the Committee’s January 8, 2025 meeting, Committee Member Linda Scherzinger reviewed the Contest's property categories, the elements of last year's marketing plan, property judging logistics, the timeline for receiving, reviewing, and announcing winning properties at the Marco Island City Council, and the appearance of the yard sign awards.
The following summarizes the key elements of the Committee's direction on this program for 2025:
1) the property categories for the Contest will remain unchanged for 2025;
2) the Committee will, again as in 2024, subdivide the Island into discreet areas for the Committee members to solicit property nominations;
3) the Committee's judging process will again consist of: a) each Committee member driving to each Contest property separately but arriving at the same time for property judging; b) each Committee member judging and scoring each property on her/his scoresheet individually, and; c) inviting a Master Gardener to accompany the Committee on the property visits to provide insight on the "Florida-friendliness" of the property's plantings, and;
4) the number of awarded properties per Contest category will remain the same as in 2024, assuming that a sufficient number of submissions are received in each category
Additionally, the Committee requested that the Marco Island City Staff support the promotion of the 2025 Marco In Bloom Contest by:
1) providing for the Committee to announce the Contest at the February 3, 2025 Marco Island City Council Meeting, with a follow-up announcement at the March 3, 2025 Marco Island City Council Meeting;
2) adding an informational QR code to the Contest application; [Editorial Note: Later found to be unavailable for the City’s online application]
3) supporting an online submission process on the City's website for property nominations as was successfully implemented for the 2024 Marco In Bloom Contest, and;
4) placing informational/awareness-building public postings of the Contest on the City's social media sites
Committee Member Linda Scherzinger, as the Committee leader for the 2025 Marco In Bloom Contest, requested that the Committee target the announcement of winners and the presentation of yard signs for the April 7, 2025 City Council Meeting. The Committee understands that it will be required to limit its time for the presentation of Contest Awards at the City Council Meeting.
Ms. Scherzinger will update the Committee on the status of the preparations and awareness-building activities for this annual Contest Event at the Committee’s February 5, 2025 meeting.
FUNDING SOURCE / FISCAL IMPACT: N / A
RECOMMENDATION: Receive Member Scherzinger’s report; volunteer as appropriate to advance the preparations for the Contest.
POTENTIAL MOTION: None expected.