Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Mayor John Jones declared Jan. 16 as Arbor Day in the City of Monticello, in association with Florida Arbor Day. The proclamation, passed by the city council on Jan. 6, was read at a tree planting ceremony at the City Orchard on Friday, Jan. 16, by City Manager Kurt Mackiewicz and then signed by Mayor Jones. Also present for planting the tree, a native Chickasaw plum, were Police Chief Fred Mosley, MPD Capt. Jack Pitts and Councilman Brian Bachman as well as Timothy Lee Taylor and Alex Burdick, who work for the city's animal control and road departments.
Lee Terzis, a volunteer who was instrumental in the establishment of the community orchard in 2023, had purchased the plum tree and continues to be active in the orchard's maintenance and development.
“We started out with about 21 trees here,” Terzis said, recalling how she and former City Clerk Emily Anderson had partnered with the Florida Dept. of Health (DOH) on the orchard project, a community health outreach service, spearheaded by then DOH Planner Margaret Levings.
Terzis also acknowledged getting technical support from the Florida Georgia Citrus, a local company owned by Kim and Angela Jones.
“Their head grower, Dale Aldridge, has come out and actually treated the citrus trees and taught me how to prune them,” Terzis said.
Located on the corner of North Waukeenah and East York streets by the water tower, the once-empty lot is the city's newest park, which includes many different types of fruit trees, including two Chickasaw plums and cold-hardy citrus trees like Meyer Lemon, Owari Satsuma Tangerine, Miho Wase Satsuma, Cara Cara Red Navel Orange, Hirando Butan Pummelo, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Meiwa Kumquat.
The city installed and maintains an irrigation system for the orchard, as well as keeps the grass mowed and the weeds controlled. The goal of the project, shared by both the city and the health department, is to address diabetes in the community by increasing access to free or low-cost healthy food.
The city's proclamation says: “Whereas Arbor Day is symbolic of the early conservation movement, and has been observed in the United States in various ways for over 100 years; and whereas the citizens of Monticello have shown an increased interest in planting trees because of the tremendous role that such trees play in furthering and improving the environment; and whereas trees are responsible for producing oxygen for controlling floods and providing wildlife habitats; and whereas the city of Monticello takes great pride in its variety and number of trees; and whereas Arbor Day should be commemorated by the planting of trees; now, therefore, the mayor of the City of Monticello hereby proclaims January 16th, 2026, as Arbor Day, in the city of Monticello, with a sincere conviction that the enhancement of the beauty of the city's landscape by the planting of trees furnishes not only an economic value, but also human value that is priceless and benefits all.”
IN THE FEATURED PHOTO: City leaders plant a Chickasaw plum tree at the community orchard on Florida Arbor Day, Jan. 16. Pictured, left to right, are Monticello Police Chief Fred Mosley, City Manager Kurt Mackiewicz, MPD Capt. Jack Pitts and Councilman Brian Bachman. ECB Publishing, Inc. Photo by Laura Young, January 16, 2026