Fresno Should "Adopt-a-Median" for Landscaping

It was recently reported by the Fresno Bee that the City of Clovis has taken a page from the Caltrans adopt-a-highway program with a plan to get community members to adopt medians and defray city costs. Kudos to Clovis!

Clovis's landscape maintenance program had been hit hard by budget woes. Three years ago, the city had 18 workers to take care of 180 acres of parks and medians. Today, the city has eight people covering 207 acres.

Under the new program, businesses, service clubs, families and individuals can underwrite the costs for median landscaping. The money will pay for city workers or landscape contractors to maintain the medians. Each quarter mile median will cost $2,000 to $5,500 annual depending on the location and greenery. In exchange, two signs containing a donor's name will be placed in medians publicizing the contribution.

More than two years ago when I was a member of the Fresno City Council, I requested staff to consider instituting a median landscape maintenance program. City staff never followed through. This was unfortunate since I had the support of a number of businesses willing and ready to adopt median island landscapes near their place of business.

My mistake, in hindsight, was to personally request Public Works to look into the possibility and report back to council. Knowing what I know today about city-hall bureaucracy, my action should have been to bring the concept to council for a vote directing staff to follow-through.

Oh well, what is done is done. I would, however, encourage the current council and mayor to follow the lead of Clovis and make Fresno's median islands more attractive at little or no cost to the taxpayer by establishing an "adopt-a-median" landscaping ordinance.

Coming Soon. . .
1). Amidst all the problems, California is a wonderful place to live.
2). Solid choice for Fresno's new Planning and Development Director.

Your comments are always welcome: Click on "comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com