Community Tree Council

1 Community Tree Council (CTC) Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: November 9th, 2020 Location: ACC Cisco Webex online meeting, You Tube Streaming Link: https://youtu.be/J6ePqmL1Mjc In Attendance - Members: Rodney Walters, Phil Hale, Nina Wurzburger, Edith Jackson, Pam Knox, Lea Clark, Joseph Bates, Mary Attaway, Mary Songster, Victoria Goff, Joe Perloff, Russell Edwards (A Quorum Was Present) Staff, Guests, and Ex-Officio Members: Jeanne Connell (ACC Landscape Division Administrator), Stacee Farrell (KACCB Executive Director), Marc Beechuk (ACC Planning Arborist), Andrew Saunders (Central Services Director), Absent: Jessie McClellan Call to Order and Welcome: ● Introductions/Welcome - Meeting chaired by Rodney in Shawn’s absence 4:00 - 4:05 Housekeeping (Secretary) Rodney Walters 4:05 - 4:10 ● Roll Call Sign in (3 minutes): Attending members written on attendance list ● (Action Item: Vote to approve the October 12th CTC meeting minutes and the October 12th CTC Committee Meetings minutes ), (3 minutes): After the October CTC meeting minutes and the September CTC Committees meetings minutes were distributed to the CTC members for review, the CTC voted unanimously to approve the October 12th CTC meeting minutes and the October 12th CTC Committee Meetings minutes. ● Information- 2 Minutes: Review motions that were passed during the October meeting:  Passed Motion - The motion to apply for the State Farm Community grant was passed unanimously.  Passed Motion- The motion to create a grant writing group was approved unanimously (Mary Songster has expressed a willingness to help with grant writing). Treasurer’s Report (Information – 5 minutes) Pam Knox 4:10 – 4:15 ● The November treasurers report was submitted and is attached at the end of this document. ● A $100.00 donation was received from the Paypal account. CTC Committee Reports (Information and Discussion) Shawn Doonan 4:15 – 4:30 ● CTC Executive Committee {Shawn (chair), Joe Perloff, Pam, Rodney – 2 minutes  Marc Beechuk: Announced the he will be leaving Athens to accept a new position with City of Covington  2 ● CTC Steering Committee {(Shawn (Chair) Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairs)  Hold Elections for the CTC officers for 2021 (Need to select a president elect) - Action Item: After a discussion, Marry Attaway accepted the nomination to become the CTC President Elect for 2021. A Motion was made and seconded to vote Mary Attaway in as the 2021 CTC President Elect and was passes unanimously. - Meeting was held to help facilitate transfer of CTC Chair to Joe Perloff - Planning for beginning of 2021 - CTC Officer elections as first agenda item in January CTC meeting (Joe Perloff – President, Pan Knox (Treasurer) - Member nominations – second January agenda item (will need vote to renew memberships by nominating Joe Perloff, Jessica McClellan, and Victoria Goff for a second term and will need to submit 3 CTC nominees for a total of 6 nominees to be submitted to the Mayor and Commission for CTC membership). - Annual Report (CTC Accomplishments of 2020 – Shawn) – Rodney to send Shawn the 2020 passed motions and the format of a prior report. - MLK Day (suggestion is to revisit sites where the CTC has previously planted trees and perform tree maintenance (pruning and mulching). - There was a wide approval of this general plan, because it will help to emphasize the importance of performing tree maintenance and will help improve the longevity, health, and aesthetics of the trees the CTC has planted. - Broad Acres (redbuds need pruned, trees need mulch) - Rock Springs needs some trees replanted (Talk with Danny-Athens Housing Authority) - Greenlife Expo (this event is will no longer be held and is being reworked to be combined with another event sustainability related event in Athens – Table Set up, promotional materials, tree and swag givaways). - Stacee Farrell may have seedlings left over from Christmas tree recycle program - Tree Steward Award may still go out (Lea will check into this) - Arbor Day (may do a traditional tree planting ceremony on Firefly Trail, socially distanced and outdoors - or- may consider alternatives such as art or poetry contests or an online educational program) - State Farm Grant could allow for a tree planting to occur at Broad Acres (if funded in time) - X-mas Party (will wait for Shawn to discuss)  Educational Short – Rodney presented a PowerPoint to the CTC titled Framework for Urban and Community Forest Management in Athens Clarke County (Basic Concepts and Key Aspects) ● CTC Interview Work Group Meeting {Shawn (leader), Phil, Pam, Marc, Mary Attaway}-5 min. (4:35) Discussion:  Need to renew members: Joe, Jessie and Tori  Technically we would have needed to nominate 3 new members by 11/24 to arrive on the 01/05 Mayor and Commission agenda. Rodney – Explained that, if nominees are approved by the CTC in January 2021, then realistically, the nominees would be appointed by the Mayor and Commission by April, 2021  Document still being revised  [Shawn] has two candidates interested in applying ● CTC Trees for Tomorrow Work Group {Phil Hale (leader), Mary Attaway, Nina, Joe, Rodney} – 5 min (4:40)  Will talk with the Landscape Management Division to see how many trees may be planted on the Firefly Trail - Planting Spaces (Firefly Trail): Field trip with Phil & Todd o Phase 1 (Along Racetrack, and (currently able to plant)  Establish additional planting sights (Schools, ACC ROWs, Parks, AHA, Athens Land Trust)  3 ● CTC Promotions Committee {Mary Attaway (Chair), Joe Perloff, Phil Hale, Jessie, Tori} -15 min (4:55)  Donation checks will be sent to Rodney at the Landscape Management Office  Website Updates: - Email requests will be sent out for bios and photos  Email fundraising letter is being drafted  Would like to list Champion trees on the website (in the future)  Stickers will be mailed to current CTC members ● CTC Policy Committee: {Shawn, Joe Bates, Lea Clark, Mary Songster, Marc Beechuk, Rodney Walter} - 10 min (5:05)  Update on CTC Athens Clarke Library Archivist relationship (Not yet contacted)  Create Annual Request Document from General Fund to present to the Mayor & Commission for the CTC ○ Research to make sure request does not change the capacity of the CTC to work on both public and private projects ● “Tree Fund” (working title) Goals: ○ Continued research to develop, focus and create language collect fee for when “tree waiver “ is granted. Marc Beechuk, Lea Clark, Mary Songster ○ Continued discussion and exploration of how the process would be implemented and used. ● Education committee: {Stacee Farrell, Lea Clark, Edith Jackson, Marc Beechuk, Seth Hawkins} – 10 min (5:15)  No input New Business: Shawn Doonan 4:20 – 5:25 ● Fundraising - 15 minutes (4:35):  State Farm Community Grant application was submitted – Could hear in a couple of weeks, could be months ● Parking Lot Items ( ) Presiding Chair 4:25  New CTC website is https://www.athenstreecouncil.com/  Rodney will have the website linked to the CTC webpage on the ACCGov CTC page ● Meeting Wrap up – (1 minute) Presiding Chair 5:30  A motion was made, seconded, and approved by unanimous vote to adjourn the meeting Treasurer’s Report: November 9, 2020 submitted by Pam Knox Money Market Account Beginning Balance as of 10/12/2020 $10,025.28 Interest 10/31/2020 0.20 Ending balance as of 11/9/2020 $10,025.48 Checking Account Starting balance 10/12/2020 $1,643.11 Check 1258 232.76 Ending balance 11/9/2020 $1,410.35 NewPayPal Account Beginning balance 10/12/2020 $0.00 Ending Balance 11/9/2020 $96.80 New PayPal Account AccTrees@athenstreecouncil.org Beginning balance $0.00 Ending balance 9/14/2020 $0.00  4 (Jessica sent a donation to the new PayPal account last week but it is not showing up so we will have to look into why it did not get transferred).