5. Flower Hanging Basket ExpensesSCANDIA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: April 1St, 2020
To: Mayor, City council
From: Adam Hawkinson, Director of Public Works
Re: Flower Hanging Baskets - Expenses
Material exaenses associated with the flower haneine baskets include:
Deep cycle battery to run a 12 -volt pump — $150.00
100 gal. poly tank - $190.00
Hose line — $20.00
Extendable water wand — $27.00
12 -volt pump — $120.00
Fertilizer - $40.00
Hangers - use existing brackets for holiday lights - $35 ea. _ $875.00 +shipping = $935.00
Raw metal materials for fabrication - $134.00 — $160.00 depending on materials used
Total is $1616.00 (using the low number for raw materials)
Labor and equipment:
Other costs include labor for the flower maintenance, time to fabricate the hangers, loading
and unloading the watering tank from a truck as needed. Much of the labor costs would be
absorbed by the budget but it will have some impact on the operations of Public Works.
In the short term, the Director believes staff can make the transition. If this is to become a
permanent practice, there will need to be some changes to the equipment used and seasonal
hiring protocol.
The hangers staff can purchase need to be modified to hold the baskets higher from the poles
so traffic and pedestrians do not come in contact with them in passing. The Director has
manufactured a proto type and done the measuring. Staff needs to add 30" of height to the
hanger, add a sleeve for flags, and a ring for the basket to hang. A single hanger has been
purchased to make sure it was the right fit for our current brackets and it is the correct hanger.
For this year the tank will be strapped to a pallet that we can load and unload from a truck with
pallet forks. The vehicle needs to have emergency lights functioning while watering since staff
will be parked on the road. If flowing hanging baskets are annually displayed in future years,
staff highly recommends purchasing a used UTV with capacity to support the tank. The Bolens
lawn tractor is overdue for replacement and a UTV could take its place for seasonal
maintenance of ballfields and grounds.