Township staff have entered into an agreement to formalize the arrangement with the Odessa Lions Club to provide seasonal flower barrels within Odessa and Wilton.

The new arrangement will see the township storing, planting, placing, maintaining, and removing the barrels each season.

The Lions Club will maintain ownership of the barrels and will be responsible for the cost of the soil, plants and barrel maintenance during the offseason. They will also be responsible for barrel replacement if necessary. All costs to the township are included in the annual parks operating budget.

The Lions Club and Township have been providing flower barrels in Odessa and Wilton since 2017 on an informal basis during the spring and summer. On average each year, there were 16 barrels in Odessa and six in Wilton. COVID-19 restrictions impacted the levels of service, and only eight barrels were placed in Odessa during that time, with two in Wilton. According to staff's report, service has returned to normal since the pandemic.

The agreement is effective until Sept. 30, 2028, and will be renewed automatically on an annual basis unless either party decides otherwise.

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