Community Tree Council

1 Community Tree Council (CTC) Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: November 11th, 2019 Location: Planning Department In Attendance - Members: Lea Clark, Phil Hale, Nina Wurzburger, Pam Knox, Rodney Walters, Joseph Bates, Jessie McClellan, Mary Attaway, Staff, Guests, and Ex-Officio Members: Marc Beechuk (ACC Planning Arborist), Laura Ney (ACC County Extension Agent), Moniika Kapousouz (Emeritus Member), Andrew Saunders (ACC Central Services Interim Director) Absent: Shawn Doonan (attending to a family matter), Myung Cogan, Joe Perloff, Housekeeping (Secretary) Rodney Walters 4:05 - 4:30 ● Roll Call/ Sign in (2 minutes): Sign-up sheet was distributed ● (Information- 3 minutes) Laura Ney, PhD, ACC/UGA County Extension Agent - CTC ex-officio member and Andrew Saunders (1st ACC Community forester, Sustainability Officer, Interim Central Services Director) were introduced to the CTC members. ● (Action Item: Vote to approve minutes): 10/14//2019 Minutes were distributed for edits and approved by a unanimous vote. ● (Information 2 minutes): Request for press release for new member applications was completed and the announcement was also placed on the ACC CTC webpage. The CTC membership application may be found at https://www.athensclarkecounty.com/FormCenter/Community-Tree-Council-48/Application-for-AthensClarke-County- Comm-579 ● (Information – 3 minutes) Communications: A letter from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (who donated $1000 to the CTC) was read. The donation was to offset the carbon footprint of the foundation’s founding family. ● (Information – 2 minutes) Secretary requested a donations record keeping format be followed by recording and archiving the following information: donor, address, phone, amount, date, thank you letter. ● (Information – 3 minutes) Secretary requests that each committee chair to provide a written summarized report (which also will become archived as committee minutes) at the time the committee reports are given. This will both help to inform the CTC meeting minutes and will be assembled into a required archive for committee meetings and keep the CTC in compliance with the sunshine laws. ● (Information and Request for Information 2 minutes) Tree City USA Application information: - Secretary asked for and received clarification and information for completion of CTC Tree City USA application. Treasurer’s Report Pam Knox 4:30 - 4:40 - A written November 11th, 2019 treasure’s report was submitted by Pam Knox (attached at the end of this document).  2 CTC Committee Reports (Information and Discussion): 4:40 – 5:10 ● CTC Executive Committee {Nina (chair), Shawn, Pam, Rodney} - Committee did not meet, no report given ● CTC Steering Committee {Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairpersons} - Committee did not meet, no report given ● CTC Education Committee (Currently inactive) ● CTC Policy Committee {Rodney (Chair), Shawn, Joseph, Joe, Marc, Lea} - Committee did not meet, no report given ● CTC Promotions Committee {Mary (Chair), Larry, Joe, Jessica} - Social Media and Public Information Work Group (Mary, Larry, Joe, Jessica) - Work group did not meet, no report given ● CTC Trees for Tomorrow (TfT) Ad-Hoc Committee {Phil Hale (Chair), Mary, Nina, Joe, Rodney} - (Discussion and Action Item): CTC discussed providing trees for the Firefly trail and agree to do so. Motion was made and approved by unanimous vote to authorize the TfT committee to make species selections and determine planting locations for 9 trees to be planted this winter on the Firefly Trail, Carl Jordan Grove (2-3” caliper balled and burlapped trees), which will be purchased by the CTC and planted and established by ACC Landscape Management Parks crews (ACC Lesiure Services and Landscape Management were consulted about this and are in agreement with this arrangement). Ongoing Business: Presiding Chair 5:10 – 5:20 ● Dog Park (Discussion, and Action Item): CTC discussed whether they should be involved in supporting tree planting at the SE Clarke Park dog park. The consensus is that the CTC will support the dog park, because it is acceptable with ACC Leisure Services and Landscape Management to plant only one or a few trees at that location per year as funds become available. - Motion was made and approved by unanimous vote to purchase 5 trees to be planted this winter near the dog park area of SE Clarke Park (2-3” caliper balled and burlapped trees- one of which is a nuttal oak to honor the donation of a local garden club), which will be purchased by the CTC and planted and established by ACC Landscape Management Parks crews (ACC Leisure Services and Landscape Management were consulted about this and are in agreement with this arrangement). The Landscape management crews will determine the exact planting locations of the trees in accordance with the tree planting design drafted by Landscape Management. ● (Discussion - 5 minutes) New Member Recruitment - Advertise for open positions on the new CTC webpage when it is created - Request made to the secretary to send e-mail reminders to the CTC members will need to reapply for membership after their terms expire this December 31st. New Business: Presiding Chair 4:50 – 5:20 ● (Discussion - 5 minutes) Fundraising: - (Discussion - 20 minutes) Fundraising and new funding opportunities  Carbon Offset Calculator or App on CTC website with donation link - Sustainable Strategies DC (http://www.strategiesdc.com/ ), (Possible Grants Available) - CTC Holiday Party to be held at Nina’s house (130 Dellwood Dr, Athens, GA 30606) on December 9th at 6:00 PM. Parking Lot Items Presiding Chair 5:20 – 5:25 - Arbor Day preparations to be discussed at the Jan. Meeting  3 Meeting Wrap up – (5 minutes) ● The next CTC meeting will be held on 1/13/2020 at 4:00 PM in the ACC Planning Office. ● A motion was made, seconded, and approved to adjourn the meeting and the meeting adjourned at 6:00 PM. Athens Community Tree Council Treasurer’s Report: November 11, 2019 submitted by Pam Knox Money Market Account Beginning Balance as of 10/14/2019 $12,022.04 Interest 10/31/2019 0.31 Ending balance as of 11/11/2019 $12,022.35 Checking Account Starting balance 10/14/2019 $1,334.80 Deposit 10/15 335.00 Check 1253 on 10/16 12.17 Ending balance 11/11/2019 $1,657.63 PayPal Account Beginning balance 10/14/2019 $0.00 Ending Balance 11/11/2019 $0.00