Community Tree Council

1 Community Tree Council (CTC) Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: August 12th, 2019 Location: Planning Department In Attendance - Members: Nina Wurzburger, Rodney Walters, Shawn Doonan. Pam Knox, Joseph Bates, Joe Perloff, Phil Hale, Mary Attaway, Myung Cogan, Staff, Guests, and Ex-Officio Members: Jessie McClellan (nominee), Lea Clark (nominee), Stacee Farrell (Director-Keep Athens Clarke County Beautiful), Marc Beechuk (ACC Arborist/City Planner) Absent: All members present Call to Order: Nina Wurzburger called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M. A quorum was present. Introductions (Information-5 minutes) – CTC members introduced themselves to Lea Clark and Jesssie McClellan (CTC approved nominees for membership). Housekeeping (Secretary) Rodney Walters 4:05- 4:25 PM ● Roll Call/Sign In (2 minutes): Sign-up sheet was distributed ● (Action Item -3 minutes): - The 7/8/2019 CTC meeting minutes were submitted by Rodney Walters (Secretary) to CTC Members by email August 9th for review and edits. A motion was made to pass the minutes. The motion was seconded and the 7/8/2019 CTC minutes were approved (after corrections were made) by unanimous vote. ● (Information-10 minutes) 2019 ACC Tree Risk Assessment Report (public trees): Level 1 hazard inspection conducted by community forester on over 1200 trees. 479 tree sites put on a list to be inspected annually. 83 trees identified as needing to be scheduled for removal (5 of which have already been removed). 35 trees will need to be removed by contractors. 23 trees will require a more advanced (level 2 or3) tree risk assessment this year. ● (Information- 3 minutes) Update on internship recruitment process and ACC Community Tree Program/Warnell partnership. (Tree Fund-Bob Skiera Memorial Fund) ● (Information- 10 minutes) Dog Park information and update – What the project may cost and how the trees may be installed and how establishment care may be conducted. Treasurer’s Report (Information - 10 minutes): Pam Knox 4:25 – 4:30 PM August report not available, but there is little change in accounts from July. CTC Secretary is now officially able to sign on the CTC accounts. CTC Committee Reports (Information and Discussion): 4:30 – 5:35 ● CTC Executive Committee {Nina (chair), Shawn, Pam, Rodney} - No report given ● CTC Steering Committee {Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairpersons} ● CTC Education Committee {currently inactive} - Information given by Stacee to provided historic context: In the past, the CTC education committee gave lessons to students about trees and facilitated tree related curriculum, they also manned tables at local events and provided craft activities for children, they held annual tree poetry and art contests with the schools, and they planted a seedling from the tree that owns itself on school properties. Ultimately, the education committee members burned out as they tried to hold the school districts for upholding tree best management practices and standards and the committee  2 became inactive with membership attrition. ● CTC Policy Committee {Joe (Chair), Shawn, Joseph, Joe, Marc, Rodney} - Policy committee worked on updating the ACC Tree Species list, An ordinance update will be needed to update standards information and address some errors. ● CTC Trees for Tomorrow Ad-Hoc Committee (Phil, Nina, Joe, Mary, Pam, Rodney) - Background about TfT grove concept given by Rodney. TfT has an obligation to plant 35 more trees on the Firefly Trail for the Carl Jordan Grove. There are funds in the TfT account set aside for this purpose. Question was raised and discussions ensued about the need or desirability to continue the TfT Program after the Carl Jordan Grove obligations are met. Basic consensus is there may be some branding value in continuing with the TfT program. ● CTC Promotions Committee {Mary (Chair), Larry Morris, Joe Perloff} - Discussion about the possibility of establishing a carbon offset calculator for donations Social Media and Public Information Work Group (Mary, Larry Morris, Joe Perloff) - Discussion about updating CTC website and establishing a current social media presense -Social media workgroup requested members produce a bio and picture so a “who is the CTC” link may be posted. - Discussion occurred about sponsorship packages, public radio fundraisers, links to Georgia Trees, and offering prints for donations of $35 or more. - Grove sites are needed before another project may be planned. Schools may provide good opportunity for sites (may help schools come closer to achieving tree canopy cover percentages as designated by ordinance). - Dog park as a potential grove. Design has been created by ACC Landscape Management. ACC Landscape Management has offered to plant and establish trees. Only need the funding ($15K to purchase plant materials and complete this project. Any dog park plan should be posted by letter or on social media. Perhaps Leisure Services would contribute to the project. Suggestion was posed to fundraise for 1 project at a time. - Could set up a link to accept funds from anonymous donors. - There seems to be two separate CTC facebook accounts. Dan Jackson was the administrator on the 2010 CTC Facebook page. Ongoing Business (Information and Discussion- 10 minutes): Phil and Stacee 5:10 – 5:15 PM ● Phil and Shawn have been continuing to water trees at the Broad Acres site. ● The general consensus among the CTC is that the real cost of planting a 2” caliper balled and burlapped tree is $500 or more once planning, design, tree stock, mulch and coordination of labor, equipment, and aftercare are accounted for. New Business: Nina Wurzburger 5:35 – 5:55 PM ● (Discussion – 15 minutes)) Fundraising and new funding opportunities: ▪ The current focus for funding includes grant applications to Synovous and Georgia Power. Need approval from Athens Housing Authoriety (Rick Parker) to secure the $25K grant ▪ Recurring donations – could be an easy way for people to donate (Patrion Link) ▪ Community Foundation – Myung suggested CTC go and explain its mission to the Community Foundation (Sarah Mckenny). ▪ Nina suggested that all CTC members contribute to the CTC annually Adjourn Nina Wurzburger 5:55 PM ● The next CTC meeting will be held on 9/9/2019 at 4:00 PM in the ACC Planning Office. ● A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting and the meeting adjourned at 5:55 PM.