Tree Board Minutes November, 2017
TREE BOARD MINUTES
November 2, 2017
PRESENT: Jody Mudd, Cheri Siley-Slusher, Jodi Smiley, Laura Trachenberg, Kate Greer, Jim Ising, Caroline Westfall.
An article in the Courier Journal about the importance of trees and health was displayed by Mayor Ising. Laura presented one from a medical journal on the same topic. Kate will summarize the gist of both for the newsletter.
The current 2018 plan for the Tree Board is to plant trees on Clerkenwell. Jodi Smiley and Amy Carter mapped the city, street by street, to see which areas needed trees the most. Cheri sent letters to property owners on Clerkenwell to see if they would like to have a tree. The first ten responders will receive a tree with a tree watering bag. They will sign an agreement to take care of their tree. One area that could really use them is a vacant lot owned by resident Floyd Taylor that abuts his property. Jim will talk to him about a possibility of planting some there after we develop our Clerkenwell plan.
The Board and the Mayor hope get more trees in Windy Hills. There needs to be a new program for the entire city. We will present our plight to the Council along with the map and visuals.
After the City received an e-mail from a resident on Foeburn regarding a hazardous tree, Caroline Wesrfall examined it. She determined that it was a danger to people who might be walking near it. She advised that it should be cut down. Jim Hodge sent an e-mail that if it was a safety problem, the City should do something about it. Information from Caroline will be sent to Attorney Hodge for him to send a letter to the resident.
Mayor Ising asked Caroline to look at a tree on the Ease corner of Ambridge to see if it is dangerous to anyone besides the homeowner.
TREE CITY USA REPORT is due. Jim will make up a proclamation for the one we had. Cheri will call the Arbor Day people to get what was sent to them last year. Jodi and Kate will work on the report.
Kate will talk to the owner on Ambridge about replacing the dead Chinese Fringe Tree. The Garden Club sent the Tree Board the money to replace it. The funds came from their plant sale in Kate’s yard last May.
Caroline had had several residents call her for tree evaluation.
We have two vacancies that must be filled for the nest 3 year terms. Sandy needs to send out a blast for new members.
The next meeting will be the first Thursday in January.
Submitted by Kate Greer
- Published in TreeBoard 2017
Tree Board Minutes September 2017
TREE BOARD MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 7, 2017
PRESENT: Cheri, Jodi, Jody, Laura, Matt, Kate
Welcome Laura and Jody to the Board.
Cheri explained to the two new members why the Board hired a company to cut down the unsafe trees and limbs on the sidewalk near Regency—North.
Our focus will now turn to increasing the canopy, starting with Clerkenwell. Kate will get the updated list of rental property on the street. Jodi made a motion, seconded by Matt to have letters sent to homeowners on Clerkenwell to see if residents are interested in acquiring a tree. The first 10 responders will get the trees along with a water bag. They will sign an agreement to take care of the trees including a weekly deep watering until a hard freeze. Cheri will draft a letter.
Kate will ask the City to replace the dogwood in the island on Old Farm and Greenbrier that died. (Council agreed)
Arbor Day will be Sunday, April 15.
The next Tree Board meeting is November 2.
- Published in TreeBoard 2017
Tree Board Minutes January, 2017
JANUARY, 2017 TREE BOARD MINUTES
Members present: Cheri, Jodi, Ward, Matt.
Caroline Westfall (arborist) and Kate (Council member)
Cheri welcomed new member Matt Shrewsberry (mattshrews@yahoo.com). His phone number is
327-2372.
Jodi approved the minutes from December.
Cheri passed out financial disclosure forms. Forms were taken to Cathy, Shaun, and Amy.
Financial Report
One new tree was purchased under the Resident Tree program. We discussed ways to promote the tree program. Possibly it could be done through an e-mail blast.
Kate reported that the Council proposed that the Tree Board send a letter and a copy of Caroline’s report to Calvin refeeding their trees on the right-of-way to Sojourn. The letter hinted that the Tree Board might help them financially.
(Note: Cheri did send the letter. Caroline met with a member of the Church. Kate has met twice with two members of the church regarding the trees.)
The Council approved that we could advertise that Caroline would assess residents’ trees at a rate of $25 an hour in the next newsletter.
Ward is still studying Tree ordinances of other cities.
Arbor Day is April 23, from 3-5.
Cathy has completed the Arbor Day report to retain Tree City status.
Kate Greer
- Published in TreeBoard 2017
Tree Board Minutes April 2017
WINDY HILLS TREE BOARD MINUTES
April 27, 2017
Present: Matt Shrewsberry, Cheei Silvey-Slusher, Jodi Smiley, Ward Wilson, Caroline Westfall, Kate Greer
Cheri moved to accept the March minutes. Jodi seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
Financial Report: There is $4600 in the regular account and $700 left in the Arborist account.
The board paid 1/3 ($1092)of the total bill to prune the hazardous trees on Rudy. Sojourn paid the remainder.
As requested by Mayor Ising, the Board will no longer send letters to homeowners about hazardous trees. The Board will notify the City of the matter and ask the City to notify the homeowner.
Arbor Day was held at Sojourn for two reasons: (1) The topic was Controlling invasive plants, and (2) There were not enough invasive plants on the Green. Sojourn had plenty of them and adequate parking. The event will return to the Green in 2018.
The 2017-18 Work Plan is to concentrate on trimming dangerous trees near the sidewalk on Rudy Lane. The target area is around Regency, across from where Metro and Windy Hills hired Bob Ray to trim the trees at Two Springs. $4000 will be designated to accomplish this. The Tree Board will get bids to trim the area #1-35 on Arborist Westfall’s report. Westfall will review the targeted area and give revised bid specifications to Greenhaven, Bob Ray, Cornerstone and Limbwalkers. Bids will be due June 15 to Cheri.
The 2018-19 Work Plan will aim to replace trees, The targeted area will be Clerkenwell.
Caroline has had 3 calls about consultations. L G & E will look at the property at 311 Chelsea. There is a dead tree in the utility easement. Tammy, the L G & E arborist, is waiting to evaluate the tree if and when it leafs out.
Because one of last year’s tree lottery winners complained that he had not received his tree, Cheri e-mailed him that he had been notified of his winning twice but had not come to get the tree. It died. He has not responded. This year, 2 gift certificated were awarded to the winners.
They have been notified.
The next meeting will be Thursday, June 22, at 7:00.
- Published in TreeBoard 2017
Tree Board Minutes March 2017
TREE BOARD MINUTES
March 2, 2017
PRESENT: Cheri, Jodie, Matt, Ward, Caroline, Jodie, Matt, Ward, Caroline, Mayor Ising, Kate Greer
SOJOUR TREES: Kate and Mayor Ising met with two members of the Church, Richard Breem and Streeter?, concerning Caroline’s report. They would like us to pay for the trees. The Mayor suggested that they contact Angela Leet to see if Metro would assist financially. The Church has received two estimates for the project. Bob Ray’s was $5,803. Cornerstone Landscaping was $3,475.
Caroline suggests that Sojourn reciprocate our paying for the trees by eliminating our $50 a month meeting rental and no donation for our picnic.
Cheri moved that the Tree Board pay up to $1,000 to help Sojourn, Ward seconded it. It passed.
Caroline wants to make sure the company has necessary permits and safety equipment.
OTHER CITY TREE REGULATIONS: Ward is checking ordinances of other cities.
He suggested that we send a letter of support to Metro for its new ordinance. Cheri made the motion to Angela Leet that the Windy Hills Tree Board supports the effort that Metro is creating a Metro Tree Ordinance. The motion passed.
WEB PAGER: Matt created an Instagram Page “Windy Hills Tree Board.” He is helping Kate write an article for the Newsletter on how to sign up for it.
TREE CITY USA GOOF: They lost Cathy’s application. She is sending it again.
ARBOR DAY: We hope to have it at Sojourn on April 23, 3-5. The topic is Getting Rid of Invasive Vegetation. Caroline will bring equipment to demonstrate. Kate is trying to get Streeter on board to get his parishioners to come so that they can learn how to get rid of their bush honey suckle. They will need “Brush B Gone” or “Roundup Concentrate”, loppers, pruners, and possibly a chipper and a solution for the debris.
Should it rain, the alternate is the Ice Cream Social in September.
We will have a tree lottery. We still have 5 trees that were not claimed by lottery winners from last year.
Next meeting is April 37.
- Published in TreeBoard 2017