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Beautification Committee Subject: 2024 Traffic Island Sponsorship Program Dear Sponsor: Public spaces in Salem continue to become more beautiful each year. We are thankful and attribute these improvements to the partnership in the City of Salem’s Traffic Island Sponsorship Program. This public/private collaboration has positively impacted the aesthetics along our city streets. As we begin our 2024 season, we hope you will renew your sponsorship commitment to beautify Salem. Enclosed please find and read the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) thoroughly to understand the commitment and mutual obligations outlined in our partnership. Next, please sign and return, no later than Friday, April 5, the enclosed sponsorship agreement, page 3, along with a check at desired sponsorship level. Members of the Beautification Committee are happy to help you with planning, as well as with selections of drought-tolerant native plants to encourage pollinators known to be rapidly disappearing due to Climate Change. Please contact me if you would like a committee member’s advice. Also enclosed are helpful planting tips and a list of suggested plants for gardens in hostile (hot and dry) surroundings. The sponsor’s creativity is encouraged, as is early planting and mulching well-hydrated plants before the end of May to beat the heat of summer. We very much look forward to your participation in the 2024 season. Sincerely yours, Janelle Rolke Beautification Committee City Liaison Enclosures 2024 Memorandum of Understanding, pg. 2 Sponsorship Agreement, pg. 3 Planting Tips/Plants, pgs. 4-5 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 City of Salem 2024 Traffic Island Beautification Program MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) Sponsorship Categories: $300 (City waters and maintains) $150 (Sponsor waters and maintains) $100* (Neighborhood Garden rate–first year $100 sponsor’s fee; sign is included – Sponsor waters and maintains) (*$25 each succeeding year) The City's Obligations: 1. Provide and place the Sponsor’s sign on the Island after planting and mulching has been completed by May 31. ● Additional Signs or Replacement: ○ If a second sign is desired, sponsor shall be charged $100. ○ Additional Sponsor signs requested shall be paid for by the sponsor. ○ City will replace damaged or missing signs. ● Signs shall be uniform (same information and font for all islands). ● Signs shall display the name of sponsor only (no telephone numbers, websites or logos, etc.) No additional signs (permanent or temporary) may be placed on your island. ● Place sponsor’s logo, name, address, telephone number, website link and picture of sponsor’s island on City of Salem’s website on the Beautification Committee’s home page. 2. Maintain regularly and water twice a week all $300 sponsored islands not presently irrigated. (Significant rain could eliminate a watering.) 3. Remove Sponsor signs no later than October 18. The City may: ● Remove or rectify inappropriate, unsafe or otherwise problematic plantings or materials upon notification to sponsor. ● If not planted, mulched and maintained according to Sponsor’s Obligations within this document, the city may notify the sponsor and re-assign the island. The Sponsor’s Obligation: 1. When planting, water generously and then regularly as needed. 2. Plant and mulch your assigned island with black bark mulch for uniformity. (Please do not use red mulch, chemically-treated mulch, or peat moss.) The planting and mulching deadline date is May 31; signs shall be placed only when planting and mulching are completed. 3. Evenly mulch islands to a minimum depth of 2 inches and replace mulch during the season as needed. 4. Limit your island design to shrubs, annuals, perennials and native plants/pollinators. Please use natural material only. (ex. stone, or wood) 5. Obtain approval of the Salem Beautification Committee for non-compliant materials by calling 978-619- 5672. 6. Remove dead or damaged plants in a timely manner. Deadhead regularly to encourage repeat blooming and the best visual effect. 7. Do not impede the view of pedestrians or drivers. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 The City of Salem 2024 Traffic Island Sponsorship Agreement (Please Return this Page with Your Sponsorship Check) Sponsor will participate in the 2024 City of Salem's Traffic Island Beautification Program in accordance with the enclosed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and we will plant and maintain the traffic island at the traffic on location designated. Authorize signature: Authorize date: With your signature and the payment of your sponsorship fee, you are agreeing to plant, mulch and replenish mulch, as needed, to a minimum of 2 inches, the above specific island. You agree to use natural materials and keep the height safe for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. We thank you for your contribution to the City’s beautification, and we look forward to working with you. Contact Telephone Email Landscape company, if used: for Original for Maintaining through For new sponsors: please indicate how sponsor name should read for your Traffic Island Sponsorship fee is enclosed (please indicate your sponsor level by checking below): $300 (City waters and maintains) $150 (Sponsor waters and maintains) $100* (Neighborhood Garden rate–first year $100 sponsor’s fee; sign is included – Sponsor waters and maintains) (*$25 each succeeding year) Please sign and return this page, with your check written out to: The City of Salem. To: City of Salem Engineering Department Attn: Janelle Rolke 98 Washington Street, 2𝑛𝑑 Floor Salem, MA 01970 If you have any questions, please contact Janelle Rolke at [PHONE REDACTED]. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 PLANTING TIPS - 2024 Resources and Information for Plants: talking with friends/neighbors, visiting local garden centers, talking with experienced gardeners and landscapers, searching for information on the Internet and checking the many garden catalogs that are published (their companies have websites). Colors are easy: Mix and match annuals and perennials textures and color from leafy perennials (shorter blooming season but provide interesting textures and greens all summer and fall), and they return the following year; the annuals provide the all-season color! Drought-resistant Plants: In selecting plants, think of plants known to be survivors (drought- resistant); it is very hot out in the middle of asphalt. Tip: To help avoid some of the asphalt/curb heat, plant your plants 8 – 12 inches into the garden from the curb. 1. Enhancing the Soil in Island Beds: As you are planting, liberally replenishing the soil in the gardens will enhance the growth of your plants. We strive to give the plants good soil, ideally at least eight inches, and then two plus inches of high-quality mulch. Tip: For every plant pot brought to the island, put in a pot of good soil (loam) – more loam, better water retention. 2. Mulching: High-quality black bark mulch helps finish your beautiful garden, making it stand out; and your plants are loving you because they are getting a better survival chance with the mulch helping to keep them cool and moist, discouraging weeds and making removal of weeds easier. A WIN- WIN! Tip: When working on your garden, work around your island inside the curbstone by lifting the mulch and soil up into the garden to create a trough between the soil and the curb to retain water in that space and help keep soil and mulch from running into the street with heavy rains. 3. Soil Treatment for Best Results: Consider the following: a. Vermiculite is a great water-retention additive to traffic-island soil. b. Rotted cow manure and rotted peat enrich the soil, also help to hold water. c. Lime and gypsum counteract winter salt. ADDITIONAL REMINDERS - 2024 1. Safety Before Beauty: Plants or other materials must not impede view of vehicles or pedestrian traffic. 2. Mulch is required: It provides shade to cool and to foster moisture retention in the soil and plant root system, and to discourage weeds, greatly improving the appearance of your garden. Peat moss or chemically treated wood mulch is to be avoided. 3. When to Plant: We recommend planting no sooner than mid May, lessening the chance of damage from a late spring frost, and not later than May 31, allowing your plants to become better established before hot weather. In addition, a newly planted garden requires liberal watering immediately to establish its roots into the soil–the hardy, initial watering right away is essential to making this happen. Please note: City irrigation does not begin until May 30, and signs are not placed until planting and mulching have been completed. 4. Drought-resistant Plants: We encourage drought-resistant plants for both perennials and annuals plus adding Native American Plants and shrubs (where possible) in your garden plan. 5. Renewing Your Garden: We encourage you to renew your island garden in the fall to reflect the season and to leave it tidy when the season is over. 6. Looking for Assistance: Need a landscaper or a consult with a member of the Beautification Committee to assist you with your planting selections, please contact Janelle Rolke at 978-619- 5672. ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 Beautification Committee Traffic Island Suggested Plants List – Revised 2/18/24 (This is not a definitive list. You will find lots of ideas at our local nurseries.) Perennials: alyssum - early spring, yellow, low spreading grasses - many varieties, short and tall, annual and perennial daylilies - dwarf reverb looming and the taller, old-fashioned kind yarrow (achillea) - yellows, but also whites and pinks, drought resistant catmint - lovely blue, Walkers stays compact. coreopsis - mostly yellow, some readily reseed dahlias (tubers) - bring in to save over winter, all heights, colors echinacea - daisy type, tall, great colors, very drought resistant phlox - whites and pinks, spreads readily ornamental sage - lovely bright blues Russian sage - large, blue, definitely background, very drought resistant sedums - tall and ground docs black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) - daisy, dwarf or tall, yellow, white, very drought resistant Shrubs: roses - so many kinds and colors, some very drought and salt hardy potentilla (cinquefoil) - usually yellow, very hardy and drought resistant spirea - interesting leaf colors, some with bright reds or limes in spring junipers - low and spreading - beautiful planted simply with white petunias (road salt can turn some branches brown) Annuals: alyssum - white ageratum - bright blue, short and tall cleome - 2’ to 3’ tall, white, pink, lavender - fall, many colors, many return following year, can be divided. - (licorice plant) low and silvery leaves, looks like small flowers at a distance marigolds - different heights, yellow, orange, and white, very tough, drought resistant, can last longer than mums in the fall petunias - one of the toughest of plants, the wave petunia has a surprising spread portulaca - spreading and very drought tolerant groundcover flower with a brilliant array of colors statice - doesn’t seem to notice if there is no rain (great dried flower) sage - the annual kind, blue or white sweet potato vine - lime green, wine, other colors - a rampant spreader, great for planters zinnia - gorgeous colors, short to tall, grows well from early direct-sown seed Native Plants/Pollinators: Such as goldenrod, perennial sunflowers, asters, high-nectar native plants that attract butterflies and bees; use native plants wherever you can. FINDING INFO ON NATIVE PLANTS Visit the local nurseries/garden centers; they have many native plants and can help you in your selection. On the Internet, you can search the name of plants to check if they are native, and search topics such as what plants attract Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Pollinators and so much more.