Auburn Beautification Commission
February 23, 2026
Present: Anna Ritter, Jesse Kline, Christine Long, Dom Gambaiani, Tim Donovan, Walt Aikman, Leah Weinberg, Claire Lovell, Judy Bryant (on phone)
- Last meeting minutes
- Leah made a motion to approve. Tim seconded. All in favor. None opposed.
- Stryker Flag Mural Project Update
- Tim gave us the background about the project he envisions: a mural of a flag on the utility building on the Stryker Building roof in honor of Robert F. Stryker.
- Tim has heard back from Christopher Community; they are a go and are interested.
- Management teams of Stryker Home are a go and interested.
- Tim talked to Tony’s Sign Shop about it. They suggested a durable aluminum sign.
- Tim listed other members of the community he talked to, including heads of the VFW.
- Dom summarized the steps:
- Tim will have to ask the building management about a precise size. Tim suggests that he might bring Anthony Pierce of Tony’s Sign Shop to meet with Megan, the building management.
- Then we’ll have to find funding. Tim notes that he has a lot of experience with fundraising and has connections at these veterans’ groups.
- Walt wonders if there’s a board of directors to run this by, as he recently found out that Schwartz Towers has a board of directors. Tim will ask Megan.
- There may also be a plaque to list the names of donors.
- It could be unveiled around Memorial Day, too.
- Earth Day Planning
- Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22.
- Spring break for kids starts in March and ends on April 3.
- Dom has a film festival planned, but it might not
- Dom will ask Chuck if the City DPW has a preference between the 18th or the 25th.
- The supplies funded by the mini-grant are still in the basement of City Hall.
- There isn’t appetite among board members to hold another swap shop at the same time as Earth Day cleanup. Dom noted that it’s hard to have two events at different locations.
- Claire suggests we try another styrofoam collection if possible. Dom already plans to reach out to BJ at Riesters so he’ll ask if it’s at all possible.
- Everyone, please share out the save the date over Facebook. Claire will email out the date, too.
- Directional Street Sign
- Dom brought up the idea of the directional sign like the one on Owasco street.
- John Bouck had done the original colorful directional sign on Owasco street. It’s been there for a very long time.
- Jesse recommends we choose a metal sign for the sake of durability.
- There could be sign put up at the State Street Mall. Perhaps it could be a map?
- Jesse suggested a QR code, like the ERHC has for “find the lantern”
- Members will brainstorm ideas for maps, walking tours, QR codes, and more with the end goal of stretching out attention to the west end and the state street businesses.
- Cayuga Conservation Corps
- Terry Cuddy and Christina Selvek found some new monies for a summer camp through the parks department. This will fund a third teacher (Terry Cuddy, Caleb Bolha, Erik __)
- The school district is willing to extend messages about CCC to ParentSquare (the online flier platform).
- Google Earth Engine
- Walt has to notify Google to be set up as a Community Tier Participant, which would include 150 free hours of use.
- We could be a Contributor, which could be 1,000 hours of us, but we’d have to set up a bank account, so we’ll just stick to the Community Tier Participant level.
- Classification of 2018 LiDAR
- Walt finished the LiDAR classification from 2018. The fire department was very interested in that.
- Seward House Museum
- Dom talked to Walker Goodemote of the SHM, who mentioned that they wanted to buy historically appropriate apple trees and other similar trees. Dom will reach out to Mitch Maniccia for more information.
- Seward Park
- Dom will reach out to Mike Talbot of Public Works about getting a hole dug for the oak tree as sponsored by Billy Lupien.
- Growing Hope Cayuga Grant
- Anna had applied for more funds for the community garden.
- Youth Program Coordinator who would oversee workshops that would be held once per week throughout the summer.
- There was some question about whether that person would be an employee of ABC. We are not prepared to employ someone, and we’re explaining that we’d hire someone as a contractor (with a 1099), paying them with a stipend.
- Anna’s also applying to expand the garden. Anna’s been working with the Cornell Cooperative Extension, who can help getting fruit trees and more. Ashley Twokee of CCE is happy to help get Anna on the City Council agenda soon. Anna will email everyone with the date.
- Anna has a high school senior in mind who would be ready and willing to work over the summer in this capacity.
- We’ll look for more details so that we can announce a save the date for a community trees.
- Permaculture Park
- Dom will look into a dog poop scooper.
- Claire took the opportunity to broadly complain about cigarette butts on State Street. Dom noted that she should ask the Swaby’s management to clean it up.
- Pollinator Garden behind the Hadley building
- Instead of installing a new sign, Dom is going to ask Kevin Burke to paint the cement directly. He just painted the State Street bandshell with neon crows, so we’d like it to match.
Sue makes a motion to adjourn. Anna seconds.
Next meeting: March 23, 2026