MILTON — Santa Rosa County residents might have noticed Milton landscaping improvements from the past three years.
The efforts, funded by a Florida Department of Transportation Joint Participation Agreement Grant, are just part of the city’s overall beautification project, according to city manager Brian Watkins.
The initiative required partnerships between the city of Milton, Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Department of Corrections. FDOT’s grant funding made improvements along state roads possible. Labor crews contracted with FDOC made landscape maintenance improvements cost effective and helped inmates gain new skills.
“The city pays for two correctional officers and receives the labor of 20 able-bodied workers,” Lee Willingham, Milton landscaping department head, said in a media release. “This helps tremendously. The inmates assist with maintenance, helping city staff, all the while learning new life skills.”
A grant-funded smart irrigation system monitors flow, detects breaks, excess water use and other problems, and can automatically deactivate if necessary, which can save time and labor, Willingham said in a media release.
So, what’s next?
A proposed, 2017 project for median landscaping from Highway 90 West to Pond Creek Bridge has been submitted for grant funding.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton landscaping improves with grand-funded projects