Community Tree Council

1 Community Tree Council (CTC) Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: February 10th, 2020 Location: Planning Department In Attendance - Members: Lea Clark, Shawn Doonan, Rodney Walters, Mary Attaway, Staff, Guests, and Ex-Officio Members: Phil Hale, Pam Knox, Nina Wurzburger, Pam Knox, Russell Edwards (ACC District 7 Commissioner), Marc Beechuk (ACC Planning Arborist), Absent: Joseph Bates, Joe Perloff, Jessie McClellan Note: The meeting began with a quorum, but one member had to leave early and the remaining 3 of 7 current voting members did not represent a majority of the voting members required in the by-laws to conduct council business. Therefore, all agenda action items that require a vote was tabled until the next CTC meeting. Call to Order and Welcome: Shawn Doonan 4:00 - 4:05 Introductions ● All meeting participants introduced themselves to one another Housekeeping (Secretary) Rodney Walters 4:05 - 4:15 ● Roll Call/ Sign in (5 minutes): Sign-up sheet was distributed ● (Action Item: Vote to approve January meeting minutes): Tabled until next meeting ● Annual report was distributed for editing feedback (3 minutes) (Action Item: Vote to approve 2019 Annual Report, which also includes the Annual treasurer’s Report): - Tabled until next meeting ● (Information – 2 minutes) Athens Arbor Day Celebration – Details announced (press release attached at end of minutes) Treasurer’s Report (Information – 5 minutes) Pam Knox 4:15 – 4:20 - Non-profit status of the CTC was renewed for the year - CTC Annual Treasurer’s report was given CTC Committee Reports (Information and: Shawn Doonan 4:30 – 5:15 ● CTC Executive Committee {Nina (chair), Shawn (Chair), Joe Perloff, Pam, Rodney} - Active participation in a committee is an expected function from CTC members - Relevant Action Items need to be put into the agenda if there is any Committee relevant items that need to be voted on. - Written reports are to be prepared by committee chair and verbal report/discussion conducted with the CTC (Try to limit to 5-7 minutes). ● CTC Steering Committee {Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairpersons} - Committee did not meet, no report given. Steering committee should start meeting (briefly) to set priorities and major agenda items - (Discussion) Talked about whether or not the CTC should make a motion to vote to officially designate the CTC November meeting as the Year End CTC meeting to elect new officers, organize and vote on member term renewals, vote on new member nominees, plan for annual CTC report, and plan for wintertime events (MLK Day, Arbor Day, etc.)? General consensus is this would be a good idea.  2 ● CTC Education Committee (Currently inactive): Jeanne Connell addressed the CTC to offer continued support to the CTC. She asked the CTC to help with education to help inform decisions to produce proactive management of trees and landscapes (such as utilizing goats to help control invasive plants). Jeanne asked the CTC engage in educating Athens Clarke County communities about the value of caring for trees and the merits of this care in being able to provide proactive management response for natural resources. It is important that people understand that trees need care in order to provide benefits and also require fewer reactive responses to address issues as a result of deferred maintenance. ● CTC Policy Committee {Rodney (Chair), Shawn, Joseph, Joe, Marc, Lea} - Policy committee met on 1/21/2020 (Lea Clark, Shawn Doonan, and Rodney Walters) and examined the ACC Tree Species List and made editing recommendations to improve readability and address species that are not desirable to plant. A revised copy of the Tree Species List was presented to the CTC for review and feedback. ● CTC Promotions Committee {Mary (Chair), Larry, Joe Perloff, Jessica}  Social Media and Public Information Work Group (Mary, Larry, Joe, Jessica) - E-mailed Landscape Management Manager for suggestions on how education committee may increase public understanding about landscapes - Looking into the development of a new CTC logo - Members please send photographs for social media sites - Consider a Friends of Trees Award  Event Tables (Green Life Expo, Feb, 29th) - Mary will send out a sign-up sheet for CTC members to man table at Green Life Expo - Friends of Trees Award will not be given this time, but CTC should prepare to do this in future - Rodney will make sure Marc get tree saplings to give away - Coordinate with Marc for table setup and materials etc. ● CTC Trees for Tomorrow (TfT) Ad-Hoc Committee {Phil Hale (Chair), Mary, Nina, Joe, Rodney}  Firefly, Sandy Creek Park, and Dog Park trees have been purchased and delivered to Landscape Management for Planting  Phil will send Stacee Farrell’s husband a thank you note for delivering the trees  (Discussion) Does the CTC want to continue the Trees for Tomorrow Memorial Grove program or not. (tabled until next meeting) ● Interview Ad-Hoc Committee {Mary, Shawn, Rodney} - Has Interviewed 2 people and will interview 2 other people next week. Have also received other applications. Since we will not have time to interview, discuss, and vote on which applicants to accept by the Feb. 18th Mayor and Commission Agenda Setting Session, the new members are expected to be nominated this year by April 7th. Ongoing Business: Shawn Doonan 4:15 – 5:30 ● (Information): CTC membership application may be found on the ACC CTC webpage at: https://www.athensclarkecounty.com/FormCenter/Community-Tree-Council-48/Application-for-AthensClarke-County- Comm-579 - CTC may put the link on the CTC webpage once is has been developed New Business: Shawn Doonan 5:30 - 5:40 ● (Discussion and Action Item) Does the CTC want to participate in the Winterville Tree Council, Tree Walk- Led by Dr. Scott Merkle on Sat. May 2nd. Consensus is this would be a good thing to do. Action item tabled until next CTC meeting  3 ● Fundraising: - Grants  GA Power  Synovous  Members  Sustainable Strategies DC - (Discussion, and Proposed Action Item, - Carbon Offset Calculator or App on CTC website with donation link -5 minutes): Tabled until after the CTC webpage is set up. ● Athens Arbor Day Celebration – Arbor Day Celebration were announced and discussed. The CTC executive committee met and voted to participate in the Athens/UGA Arbor Day celebration to be held on the Firefly Trail and to celebrate the CTC’s planting of 14 Trees this year on the Firefly Trail and 5 Trees at the Dog Park at SE Clarke Park Meeting Wrap up: Secretary 5:40 – 5:45 ● The next CTC meeting will be held on 3/2/2020 at 4:00 PM in the ACC Planning Office. Athens Arbor Day 2020, Press Release (2/12/2020) Community organizations will gather to celebrate Athens Arbor Day on February 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. on a segment of the completed Firefly Trail between South Peter Street and Inglewood Avenue. The public is invited to attend. As part of the ceremony, nine new trees donated by the Community Tree Council for the Trees for Tomorrow program will be planted along the trail. The program will also recognize Athens-Clarke County's designation as a Tree City USA for the 20th year in a row by the National Arbor Day Foundation. This honor has been bestowed to Athens-Clarke County in recognition of Athens’ dedication to the care of the trees that help define the character of the community and make it such a special place. The program will include a reading of the proclamation signed by Mayor Kelly Girtz to officially declare February 14, 2020 as Athens Arbor Day. The Arbor Day celebration will conclude with the Georgia Forestry Commission providing free bare root saplings for all attendees, who will be encouraged to plant and nurture them in suitable locations for the benefit of future Athenians. The Arbor Day event is a celebration of the collaboration of community partners for the purpose of improving the quality of life for Athens-Clarke County’s residents through the planting and maintenance of trees. The partners include the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov), the University of Georgia (UGA), the Community Tree Council (CTC), the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), and Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (KACCB). The ceremony site on the Firefly Trail can be most directly accessed either by walking up the ramp onto the trail bridge from Poplar Street or through trail crossings at Peter Street or Inglewood Avenue. Limited parking is available in small lots at 286 South Poplar Street or 354 South Peter Street. Safe parking places along South Poplar Street, South Peter Street, or Inglewood Avenue also may be available. Those attending should be prepared to walk one or more blocks and dressed appropriately for the weather. For more information, call the Athens-Clarke County Community Forester at 706-613-3561 or email rodney.walters@accgov.com.