Community Tree Council

1 Community Tree Council (CTC) Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: January 11th, 2021 Location: ACC Cisco Webex online meeting, You Tube Streaming Link: https://youtu.be/N24jAEJXfZw In Attendance - Members: Rodney Walters, Lea Clark, Pam Knox, Shawn Doonan, Phil Hale, Mary Songster, Edith Jackson, Joseph Bates, Mary Attaway, (A Quorum Was Present) Staff, Guests, and Ex-Officio Members: Joe Perloff, Jessie McClellan, Victoria Goff, Stacee Farrell (KACCB Executive Director) Absent: Russell Edwards Call to Order and Welcome: ● Introductions/Welcome Joe Perloff 4:00 - 4:10  Welcome everyone. Looking forward to a productive year together.  Would like to continue Shawn’s productive focus set in place by using our official CTC meeting time, less for lengthy internal discussion, and more to bring actionable voting items to the table.  To reiterate from last year, the bulk of new discussion should be designated for committee meeting time. ○ Committees may use email for general communication of ideas, but per ACC sunshine laws, official committee discussion and voting items should be done during designated committee meeting times on Webex.  There is still much uncertainty about when this pandemic situation will be over, so we will assume for now, that the year’s meeting correspondence will continue to be via Webex and open public viewing via Youtube link.  My role and goal for this position is to facilitate committees’ ideas, helping to develop them when needed, and bringing them to fruition through the creation of voting items for the Council to vote on. ○ Think of me as a neutral voice to weigh in and provide guidance or advice when appropriate, but mainly to help the committees achieve their goals for the year.  A personal goal of mine for this year is for the council to help breathe some life back into the ACC Landmark Tree Program. ○ By designating trees as landmark trees, the county puts special protections and protocols in place for these trees regarding removal, future development, etc. ○ We have thousands of beautiful trees in the county that are either designated but not verified, or would qualify if applied for. ○ This may be achieved in the form of a work group rather than a committee, to bypass sunshine laws on official public meeting times. ○ Would be designated to nominate and possibly inspect trees in the field, perform or review the application paperwork, etc.  2 Housekeeping (Secretary) Rodney Walters 4:10 - 4:15 ● Roll Call Sign in (3 minutes): Attending members written on attendance list ● (Action Item: Vote to approve the December November 11, 2020 CTC meeting minutes Meetings minutes ), (3 minutes): After the December 11th, 2020 meeting minutes were distributed to the CTC members for review, the CTC voted unanimously to approve the December 11th, 2020 CTC meeting minutes. ● (Information): ‘The CTC currently has 9 voting members from the vacancies with members terms expiring on December 31st 2020 and from one vacancy from a member who moved. As a result, a quorum will now consist of 5 voting CTC members until the member vacancies are filled in April. Treasurer’s Report (Information – 5 minutes) Pam Knox 4:10 – 4:15 ● The January 2021 treasurer’s report was submitted and is attached at the end of this document. ● Treasurer will produce a 2020 annual report to be ready by February, 2021 CTC meeting ● Treasurer will renew the 501c3 status for the CTC for 2021 CTC Committee Reports (Information and Discussion) Joe Perloff 4:15 – 5:20 ● CTC Beginning of Year Business (Executive Committee)  Shawn will prepare the 2020 Annual CTC Report (to be presented for approval to the CTC on February 15th, 2021)  (Discussion and Action Item – Tree Steward Award): After a discussion was held about who should be the recipients of both the organizational and individual tree steward award and what the award should be, a motion was made, seconded, and passed by unanimous vote to provide a gift of a Tree That Owns Itself print and a Tree that Owns Itself seedling as the Tree Steward Award to Boehringer Ingelheim and to award the individual Tree Steward Award to Silas Carter. o There was also some discussion to provide a package to Silas Carter, which was tabled until the next meeting.  (Discussion and Action Item – CTC Project for Dr. Martin Luther King Day (MLK Day): After discussion logistical details, a motion was made, seconded, and passed by unanimous vote to meet at 9:30 AM on January 18th at the Rock Springs Community Center to spread mulch and repair tree protection fencing. o Shawn will arrange for the delivery of 10 yards of mulch o Everyone is asked to bring their own wheel barrows, rakes, shovels, fencing pliers, and gloves  (Discussion – Athens Arbor Day Planning): o Arbor Day (Planning on a traditional socially distanced, outdoor, Arbor Day Ceremony on Firefly Trail - Does not need to be a publically attended event (CTC Members to maintain social distancing) - CTC will donate 7 crepe myrtle trees to ACC Landscape Management park crews, who will plant them before the ceremony. - The trees and transportation from the nursery will be $2150.00 plus tax - Rodney will reach out to Commissioner Russell Edwards to ask if he would like to officiate the meeting. If not, Mary Songster will reach out to Carol Myers. Rodney will also notify Carl Jordan of the tree plantings. - Rodney will work with the Public Information Office to draft public announcements - The official motion to conduct the Arbor Day Ceremony will take place at the February CTC meeting. - Tree City USA Award announcement, - Growth Award Announcement - Reading of the Arbor Day Proclamation  (Discussion and Action Item – 2021 CTC Member Nominees): After discussing who the renewing CTC member nominees will be and which CTC member applicants were selected by the Interview Work Group, a motion was made, seconded, and passed by unanimous vote to nominate Joe Perloff, Jessica McClellan, and Victoria Goff to the Mayor and Commission for appointed as renewing members (terms to expire 12/31/2023). Furthermore, Holly Campbell (term to expire 12/31/2022), Patrick Perry, and Earnie Cox (terms to expire 12/31/2023) have been approved as CTC nominees for consideration by the Mayor and Commission for appointment as CTC members.  3  CTC Trees for Tomorrow Work Group {Phil Hale (leader), Mary Attaway, Joe Perloff, Rodney} – 5 min (4:40) o Discussions were part of Arbor Day conversation listed above ● CTC Steering Committee:  This month’s Committee Meetings will be planned to be held on January 25th this month, because there MLK day is a holiday.  Educational Short: CTC members are encouraged to contact Joe Perloff if they have an brief educational presentation they would like to deliver.  Committee Chairs, please develop some yearly goals for our committee and send a list of the members participating in your committee to Joe Perloff ● Promotions Committee {Mary Attaway (Chair), Joe Perloff, Phil Hale, Jessie, Tori} (Tabled) ● CTC Policy Committee: {Shawn, Joe Bates, Lea Clark, Mary Songster, Marc Beechuk, Rodney Walters} (Tabled) ● Education committee: {Stacee Farrell, Lea Clark, Edith Jackson, Marc Beechuk, Seth Hawkins} (Tabled) Meeting Wrap up – (1 minute) Presiding Chair 5:29 - 5:30  A motion was made, seconded, and approved by unanimous vote to adjourn the meeting Athens Community Tree Council Treasurer’s Report: January 11th, 2021 submitted by Pam Knox Money Market Account Beginning Balance as of 11/9/2020 $10,025.65 Interest 12/31/2020 0.17 Ending balance as of 12/7/2020 $10,025.82 Checking Account Starting balance 11/9/2020 $2,910.35 Check #1259 12/8/2020 216.00 Prints and stationery Ending balance 12/7/2020 $2,694.35 New PayPal Account AccTrees@athenstreecouncil.org Beginning balance 12/7/2020 $1261.65 Ending balance 1/11/2021 $1261.65 I will be renewing our tax status by the end of January. This is done on a yearly basis.