One thing that isn’t being cut out of the City of Keokuk’s next budget? Flower beds. Funding for the Rand Park Pavilion, the Keokuk Union Depot and the George M. Verity riverboat museum were among the items cut during work sessions over the last month, but the $4,000 allocation for Rand Park flower gardens survived the last work session.
Crystal McGee of the Keokuk Garden Club addressed the council, explaining that the city’s funding supports residents who adopt flower beds in Rand Park each year. She said the gardens serve as a popular attraction and frequently provide scenic backdrops for family portraits, weddings, prom photos, and senior pictures.
McGee cautioned that requiring volunteers to personally cover the cost of plants could significantly reduce participation.
