20230613 - Shade Tree Commission Meeting Minutes

 

Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission

Meeting Minutes

June 13, 2023

 

The regular meeting of the STC held in the Garden Room, Village Hall, was called to order at 7:29 pm by C. Jacoby

 

ATTENDEES:

Carolyn Jacoby, Siobhan Winograd, Tim Graham, Nancy Brennan Hill, George Wolfson, Declan Madden, Ian Keller, Adam Brown, Andrew Lowry, Maria Damasco

 

Liaison PRC: Vicky Van Dyke

 

Guests: Heather Mailander, Derick White, Nina Megonn Mcgonnell, Cavan Sieczkowski

 

Minutes of the May 9, 2023 meeting were unanimously approved

 

VILLAGE COUNCIL MANAGER’S REPORT:

 

Report given by H. Mailander who thanked the committee for a job well done. Some efficient ways to communicate among the members of the commission and municipal staff was discussed.  In addition to serving on the Commission, Parks and recreation staff have regular daily municipal jobs.

H. Mailander requested that emails consist of short highlighted statements and using links and e-notes.  Direct emails to the member relevant to the issue you are addressing, rather than forwarding emails to “all”,  Brief statements for inclusion in a forthcoming e-blast should be sent to H. Mailander by Tuesday.    

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

●      Research Management

○      Adopt a Sapling proposal presented by A. Brown, N. Brennan Hill and S. Winograd who will use volunteers to send out flyers.  Currently the flyers are in draft form but can be ready before the next STC meeting.  Feedback on the flyers is requested and welcomed. 

○      Sapling tree planting event is scheduled for October.

●      CBD Tree Well Maintenance

Report given by D. Madden, C. Jacoby, and S. Winograd.

○      Some of the CBD trees are not responding as expected and 3 will  be removed by the village and replaced by Eastern in the fall.

○      Another walk through will be done in September 2023

●      Communication

Report given by T. Graham and S, Winograd

○      Trifold brochure

○      Social media outreach

○      Village web page

○      Press releases

Volunteers are working on a draft trifold which is available for viewing and comments. There are 22 pictures of Ridgewood trees to select from. S. Winograd is working on a letter to go out to the schools and sports teams to ask for volunteers and/or donations.

 

●      Tree Ordinance

○       Report given by G. Wolfson and M. Damasco

○      G, Wolfson met with Engineering to discuss possible tree ordinance concerns.

○      There will be a review of tree ordinances of 10 towns in general categories so we can follow along successful lines and therefore move forward. 

○      Hopefully the review with recommendations will be completed by the October, 2023 STC meeting.

 

●      Funding and Grants

Report given by A. Lowry

 

Capital Expenses

$118,000 remaining from 22-23

$13,000 EAB treatments which are completed

$42,200 CBD watering twice weekly

$26,000 Tree inventory

$16,800 Street watering;June 9-October 21 weekly

$1000 +Transferred to CBD planting

 

●      September 2023 Budget

Report given by C. Jacoby

 

●      How we manage fall planting and the CBD  is important because there is a limited number of manpower resources. Supervision is needed to oversee the planting.

●      The following bids will go out for proposed planting

○      37 for CBD

○      120 for Residential

                Going forward, working with N. Bigos, we are only planting per residents’ requests. Residents will sign an agreement to be responsible and maintain and water the trees.

 

●      Forms SubCommittee

○      Alternate funds sources through donations and contributions

○      Grants: There is no follow up on grants to report

 

NEW BUSINESS;

●      Tree Inventory Phase II reported by Declan Madden

○      GIS met with Civil Solutions and inventory was established

○      Tentative inventory is for July 10

○      Tentative date for quality control is mid August

○      Inventory will be up to 2000 trees, stumps and right of way

○      Civil Solutions is giving GIS all the data so we can keep track of  trees

○      Criteria for planting will stay the same: small, medium and large.

 

●      PSEG and Tree trimming

○      PSEG Utility has free rein in the context of cutting down/pruning trees,  Their Primary standard for public service and tree cutting is different from usual standards. The utility has the authority to cut/trim trees with regard to public safety.

○      As one solution, we can plant trees that will not grow so high and interfere with the cables.

○      A subcommittee will be formed to study this issue and will be co-chaired  by N. Brennan Hill and A. Brown

 

●      Report by S. Winograd

○      A letter has been sent to the property/business owners  to establish a connection with regard to caring for their trees and to make them aware through the guild and the chamber.  H. Mailander will make the determination of when to send the final letter.

○      Residents that are looking for community service can get involved by working on improving tree wells:

■      Mulch Monday

■      Get neighbors involved

■      Get kids involved

■      Adopt a sapling

 

 

●      Schedler Property 

Discussion about what responsibility if any the STC has to this property.  No further action will be taken by the STC at this time.

         

 

 

 

Volunteer Hours: 20

 

Meeting Adjourned at 9:32 pm

 

Minutes submitted by Maria Damasco, Recording Secretary STC