Community Tree Council

1 Community Tree Council (CTC) Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: May 13th, 2019 Location: Planning Department In Attendance - Members: Nina Wurzburger, Joseph Bates, Rodney Walters, Joe Perloff, Phil Hale, Shawn Doonan Absent: Mary Attaway, Myung Cogan, Pam Knox (traveling out of town) Staff, Guests, and Ex-Officio Members: Russell Edwards (Mayor and Commissioner Liaison), Larry Morris (UGA Professor), Marc Beechuk (ACC Arborist/City Planner), Stacee Farrell (Director-Keep Athens Clarke County Beautiful) Call to Order: Nina Wurzburger called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M. A quorum was present. Housekeeping (Secretary) Rodney Walters 4:05- 4:25 PM ● Roll Call Sign In & Membership Roster Updates: (roster was distributed for updates) ● (Action Item) Minutes - The 4/8/2019 minutes were submitted by Rodney Walters (Secretary) to CTC members on 5/10/2019 for review and edits. A motion was made to pass the minutes. The motion was seconded and the 4/8/2019 CTC minutes were approved (after corrections were made) by unanimous vote. ● (Information and Discussion) The CTC secretary met with a representative of the Athens Clarke County (ACC) Public Information Office to explore what the CTC options are for having information posted on the ACC website and to explore what social media protocols may exist for ACC councils. Questions Included: - May the CTC have a web page hosted on the ACC website? Answer: ACC supports the idea of a hybrid approach where basic CTC information (CTC bylaws, CTC mission, CTC meeting minutes/agendas, CTC member nominee applications, and member information) will be posted. A link to a CTC outside website may also be available. The CTC will then have the autonomy to post its interests in policy, education, fundraising, events, videos, slide shows, photographs, and advertising or member nominee on its own site(s) and/or social media. - May the CTC employ social media? If so, may any member manage the social media? Answer: The CTC may utilize social media as an entity separate from ACC and may manage it as it sees fit to do so. The CTC will be responsible for managing all the content and programming associated with various media outlets and applications. Treasurer’s Report: Pam Knox 4:25– 4:30 PM No Treasurer’s report was given. Old Business: None  2 New Business: Nina Wurzburger 4:30– 5:30 PM ● (Discussion) Russell Edwards brought up a discussion about the Champion Tree Program and the ACC administered Landmark Tree Program, because citizens may nominate Landmark trees and this program is one of the only mechanisms in ACC that may apply protection status to private trees in Athens Clarke County. Shawn Doonan stated that the Landmark Tree Program and Champion Tree program could be combined to raise community wide engagement in trees. Questions arose about the location and status of the Landmark Tree Program and administration of the Champion Tree Program. Rodney Walters informed the CTC that Champion tree program is administered by the Georgia Forestry Commission and that the current ACC Landmark database is in need of being updated. The goal is to begin updating the Landmark database later this year after safety inspections of trees (currently underway) around the county have been completed. There is also a goal to work in partnership with UGA to eventually employ the assistance of interns to update and maintain the Landmark Tree Program and other ACC Community Tree Program databases. ● (Information and Discussion) Committee Reports: - Policy Subcommittee (Shawn, Joseph, Joe, Marc) Marc, Joe, Joseph, and Rodney met to discuss the general ACC tree ordinance and some areas for adjustment to be considered at future policy meetings. Work began to update the Tree Species List to improve its readability and usability (document date, rating system). Larry Morris suggested utilizing interventions needed by each species that include qualifiers and comments). It was also suggested that links could be provided for access to more detailed sets of fact sheets for tree species. - Trees for Tomorrow Subcommittee (Phil, Nina, Joe, Mary, Pam, Rodney) TfT subcommittee has not yet met and has nothing to report. ● (Discussion and Action) Public Communication Considerations: Discussion touched on whether or not continue the current CTC website (Run Ruffian = $90 per hour–Website needs maintenance and management). - Possible alternatives to current website include: - Employing a different company to maintain a CTC website - Utilizing a Google Page - Piggybacking on the ACC webpage - Employing social media only - (Action Item) A motion was made to form a social media working group under the promotions subcommittee to be attended by Joe Perloff, Larry Morris, Mary Attaway, and Russell Edwards to explore the management of CTC media options and the time and money commitments needed for each option. The motion was seconded and pass by unanimous vote. ● (Discussion) Advertise for open CTC member positions: CTC needs to start advertising now for applicants. Larry will begin advertising on the CTC Facebook page and explore advertising options with WUGA, Red and Black, Flagpole. - A question about what application should be used arose. There was also a question about how applicants would access applications. Rodney will work with the Public Information Office to have the CTC information page installed, find out about which application needs to be utilize, and see that the application be posted as a link in the CTC information page that will be hosted on the ACC website.  3 ● (Discussion) Fundraising and new funding opportunities - Idea to seek out corporate sponsors and donors was revisited. Possibilities include Caterpillar, The Green Builders Association, and Georgia Power. Nina is looking into the Georgia Power grant program (up to $25,000.00). - Other grant opportunities include the annually Keep Athens Clarke County Beautiful grant ($5000.00) and Lowes (up to $25000.00). - Rodney presented a suggestion to engage the Athens Chamber of Commerce to develop relationships with companies who may be interested in sustainability oriented tree planting projects. Russell Edwards then suggested creating a fundraising mailing list to be followed with specific communications stating what will be funded, where the project is located. A strategic campaign could then be implemented to find support from companies that will have an interest in a project, which might be based either on specific project goals (such as pet stores supporting the dog park planting) or on the geographic location (neighborhood support). Russell suggested that each CTC member research and bring a list of companies and names that might be engaged in the support of tree planting. Adjourn Nina Wurzburger 5:25 – 5:30 PM ● The next CTC meeting will be held on 6/10/2019 at 4:00 PM in the ACC Planning Office. ● The meeting adjourned at 5:30 PM.