Beautification Committee

AGENDA BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE MEETING May 20, 2026 - 5:30 PM Village Hall - Room 101 300 Plaza Circle, Mundelein, IL 60060 I. CALL TO ORDER II. ATTENDANCE III. PUBLIC COMMENTARY IV. MINUTES APPROVAL A. Review and Approval of Minutes Motion to approve the Beautification Committee minutes from April 15, 2026. V. MUNDELEIN ARTS COMMISSION REPORT VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS VII. PROJECTS A. Gardens B. Bird City C. Excellence in Gardening Awards D. Community Events 1. June 13, 2026 Farmer's Market - the theme is Gardens and Birds - Perch on Park 2. Farmer's Market butterfly release - July 11, 2026 to coincide with Girl Scouts Milkweed Page |1 Page 1 of 9  sale 3. Bike Race - July 20, 2026 4. District 75 Tiger Truck Fest - September 5. Lure of the Local - October 6. Santa's Cottage and Tree Lighting - December E. Clean up events - next one before the Bike Race F. Spring into Summer - May 30, 2026 VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. Budget B. Business Cards C. Projects for 2026-2027 - July meeting discussion D. A-May-Zing Mundelein recap IX. NEW BUSINESS A. Native Plant to promote X. OTHER BUSINESS Beautification Committee Agenda 5/20/2026 Page |2 Page 2 of 9 XI. ADJOURNMENT A. Adjourn Beautification Committee Meeting Motion to Adjourn the Beautification Committee Meeting. XII. NEXT MEETING - JUNE 17, 2026 The Village of Mundelein, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, requests that persons with disabilities who require certain accommodations to allow them to observe and/or participate in this meeting, or who have questions about the accessibility of the meeting or facilities, to contact the ADA Coordinator at 847-949-3200 to allow the Village to arrange accommodations for those persons. Beautification Committee Agenda 5/20/2026 Page |3 Page 3 of 9 Beautification Committee Meeting Minutes April 15, 2026 CALL TO ORDER The regularly scheduled meeting of the Beautification Committee was held on April 15, 2026. Chairperson Ross called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM. ATTENDANCE Lynne Monroe took the roll call. It indicated as follows: Committee Attendance PRESENT: Committee Member Nunez, Vice-Chair Tancredi, Committee Member Tierney, Committee Member Jankowski Jr., Chair Ross ABSENT: Committee Member Mitchell Other Attendance: PRESENT: Chris Woodard, Mundelein Arts Commission Liason and Lynne Monroe, Deputy Village Administrator PUBLIC COMMENTARY None MINUTES APPROVAL Minute Review and Approval Motion to approve the Beautification Committee Meeting Minutes from March 18, 2026. MUNDELEIN ARTS COMMISSION REPORT Chris Woodard reported that MAC is enthusiastic about the upcoming spring and summer activities. This year marks MAC’s 10th Anniversary, and commemorative planning is underway. MAC members are currently developing a strategic plan. As part of this effort, they were inspired by the Fremont Public Library’s emphasis on collaboration in its own strategic plan. Chris recently attended the “Coffee with the Library Director” event, which reinforced the value of potential partnerships. MAC also plans to begin coordinating details for providing a Mundelein Star for the Library. The library and the Beautification Committee may have opportunities for collaboration if interested. MAC continues work on the “art pantries” concep-small community structures for sharing and exchanging artwork. Chris met with the Tool Library’s executive board this week; while final approval is pending, the board was enthusiastic about assisting with construction. MAC has budgeted for three art pantries. Additional details are being finalized, and MAC will seek to partner with the Beautification Committeefor this project. ANNOUNCEMENTS Page 4 of 9  The following annoucements were made: Chair Ross reported about International Compost Awareness Week (May 3–9) Numerous events are happening across Lake County, including Public Works’ compost giveaway and various tours. The committee may consider participating more actively next year. Vice-Chair Tancredi reported about a Container Gardening Class at Country Bumpkin A container and planting class will be offered April 24–25 for $50. She plans to attend to explore potential partnership or future programming ideas. Chris Woodard announced Rainbow Garden Planting at the Park District The Park District is hosting a public rainbow garden planting on June 6 at the Community Center, with participation from the LGBTQ+ group. PROJECTS Gardens Member Jankowski reported that all plantings from last year are returning well, including shrubs damaged by rabbits. Some invasive species-lesser celandine and mugwort-have begun to appear and will need management. A committee weeding session is recommended next month to assess perennials and remove weeds. The village landscape crew cleaned the pollinator garden, and most plantings are coming up strongly. The village arborist noted ongoing issues with trees planted in the small 4×4 squares due to salt exposure and poor drainage; previous replacement attempts have failed. The committee discussed options for these spaces, including replacing trees with native grasses or using containers, that could be purchased with this year's budget funds. Grasses were favored as the simplest and most resilient option. Vice-Chair Tancredi will coordinate purchasing grasses this month, with Member Jankowski providing recommended varieties. The committee also discussed the possibility of removing two smaller Callery pear trees as a pilot replacement project. Member Jankowski will draft a proposal for review and for forwarding to Public Works and administration. Lynne updated the committee on the Courtland Commons pollinator garden: Public Works recently removed three large, deteriorating cottonwoods for safety reasons. The Village requests the committee’s support for this decision and will seek planting suggestions once the area is ready for redesign. Bird City Chair Ross noted that a bird walk is planned for mid-May and has already been advertised. The June 13 Farmers Market will feature a bird-themed focus, with the working theme “Perch on Park.” Although it is also the Farmer's Market, activities will Page 5 of 9 emphasize bird-friendly gardening. Chair Ross will reach out to the Audubon Society for potential participation and suggestions for the children’s “Little Makers” activity. Member Waters shared information about a local trap-and-release cat management program (through Spay N’ Stay) that may be relevant to Bird City initiatives, given the impact of stray cats on bird populations. The program traps, chips, vaccinates, and sterilizes cats before releasing them, helping control feral populations humanely. The committee may consider inviting the organization to provide educational outreach at the Farmers Market. Member Waters will supply contact information to Chair Ross. Excellence in Gardening Awards Vice-Chair Tancredi confirmed that the Excellence in Gardening program will run again this year. She proposed using updated sign colors and including the year on each sign. The program would run from June 1 to August 1, which the committee agreed aligns well with typical planting and peak-garden periods. She plans to order 30 signs to start and will expand the program this year to include businesses. Information will be shared in the Village newsletter and on the website. Criteria remain focused on visible, well-maintained gardens with an emphasis on encouraging flowers and perennials. As in past years, the program is non-competitive and aims to promote positive engagement. Committee members discussed timing, visibility rules (gardens must be clearly visible from the sidewalk), and the potential need for volunteer help in delivering signs. Vice-Chair Tancredi confirmed the plan to update the signage to natch Spring into Summer artwork. Community Events June 13, 2026 Farmer's Market - the theme is Gardens and Birds - Perch on Park Chair Ross reiterated the earlier discussion for the Farmer's Market Bird theme day, to be held June 13, not the 20th. Farmer's Market butterfly release - Late July / early August No report Bike Race - July The race is scheduled for July 20. Involvement has not been confirmed. District 75 Tiger Truck Fest - September No report Page 6 of 9  Lure of the Local - October No report Santa's Cottage and Tree Lighting - December No report Clean up events / Adopt a Road A clean-up will be planned hte week before the July 20 Bike race. Spring into Summer - May 30, 2026 Chair Ross distributed promotional signs for the Spring into Summer event in both English and Spanish, available in two sizes, and asked members to record where they place them to avoid duplication. Event information has been posted on the Village website, the Village’s Facebook page, and shared by several participating partners, including the MCC, the Farmers Market, and Walela Farms. Additional outreach to participants will be sent this week. The library, a strong supporter of the event, is also expected to promote it. Volunteer activities for the event were reviewed. A detailed task list was circulated, organized by day and activity. Some tasks already have volunteers; others still need coverage. Vice-Chair Tancredi will staff the reptile show and requested assistance for setup and teardown at the Beautification booth. Public Works will provide substantial support, with an increased number of staff on hand this year for setup and logistics. Chari Ross discussed needs for directing traffic, distributing tables and chairs, and ensuring booth materials are placed correctly. Additional volunteers may be needed for these tasks. The group also emphasized the importance of assigning volunteers to take photos of all booths during the event, something that was difficult to capture fully last year. The event will host 27 vendors, including two food vendors, plus Chair Ross noted many local restaurants are available nearby. Preparations continue, and remaining logistics will be finalized at the next meeting. Reuse a Shoe / Textile Recycling No report OLD BUSINESS Budget Vice-Chair Tancredi reported on budget funds and remaining costs to be incurred, including a portion of the Star to be installed at Courtland Commons. Ideas were Page 7 of 9  discussed for purchases as the budget year winds down. Projects for 2026/2027 Chair Ross opened discussion on planning for 2026–2027 projects. She suggested the committee hold a mid-summer brainstorming session (likely July or August) to identify ideas and priorities for next year. Members were encouraged to observe opportunities around the Village, including potential garden sites and partnership ideas. Possible future initiatives include pursuing another America in Bloom grant focused on a larger, multi-year project; enhancing how the Village publicizes designations such as Tree City and Bird City; and exploring options for more visible and consistent signage or displays, modeled after examples in other communities. The committee noted that the current Tree City sign is not prominently located. Members may also discuss habitat-related projects, including potential collaborations with the Audubon Society or efforts related to local bird areas such as the heron rookery at the park district golf course. Chair Ross suggested the committee could also consider a campaign addressing removal of invasive Callery pear trees, possibly in coordination with the new county board representative. A-May-Zing Mundelein Vice-Chair Tancredi noted that the Beautification Committee does not currently have a volunteer team signed up for the A-May-Zing Mundelein community service event on May 2, and she encouraged members to participate so the committee has a visible presence. Volunteers are needed both to distribute plants, gloves, and materials and to assist with cleanup projects assigned to the team. The event begins at 8 a.m., with check-in and breakfast first, and may run through the morning or into early afternoon depending on the assigned tasks. The size of the committee’s volunteer group will determine the type of project assigned. Tancredi asked for additional participants, and suggested including community members and students. Some committee members noted scheduling conflicts. Members agreed to check personal schedules and follow up by email. The goal is to assemble a complete group able to start in the morning and contribute to this worth-while project. NEW BUSINESS Committee Business Cards The committee revisited the idea of creating business cards for members. Lynne noted that traditional business cards are used less frequently today and may not justify the cost. She suggested using the existing Beautification Committee bookmarks, which already include a QR code linking to the committee’s webpage. Members could add their individual Beautification email addresses via labels if direct contact information is Page 8 of 9  needed. Committee members discussed alternative formats, including generic cards with handwritten contact details, updated bookmarks, or incorporating QR codes that link to member information. Some members expressed concerns that directing residents to the website for all information may not always be convenient. The committee agreed to revisit the topic after work on the new pamphlet is completed and consider whether bookmarks, updated promotional materials, or generic cards would best meet the committee’s needs. No final action was taken. OTHER BUSINESS none ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:52 PM. _______________________ Jenny Ross, Chairman NEXT MEETING - MAY 20, 2026 Page 9 of 9