Shade Tree Management Board

SHADE TREE MANAGEMENT BOARD Borough of Madison Madison, New Jersey 07940 Minutes of June 18, 2015 Meeting The Shade Tree Management Board held its regular monthly meeting on June 18, 2015 at 7:00 pm in the Trustees Room of Hartley Dodge Memorial, 50 Kings Road, Madison, New Jersey. Call to Order Alan Andreas called the meeting to order and read the Sunshine Law for compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. Present: Alan Andreas, Nancy Bruce, Penny Garman, Christine Hammitt, Steve Miller, Lauren Hagerstrom, Gene Cracovia, Vince Licari, Mike Kopas and Paul Allocco. Absent: David Maines. Pledge of Allegiance Minutes The Board approved the May 21, 2015 minutes. The Board addressed the following items of business: Budget Report No bills were paid and there was no change. Council Liaison Report No report. Public Comments and Correspondence The homeowner at 105 Ridgedale Avenue is concerned about vines on the trees. Mike and Vince will evaluate. It was determined that a dead tree at 93 Greenwood Avenue is not a Borough tree. Alan and Mike reported, and the Planning Board passed, stipulations regarding the 85 Green construction. Mike will follow up on the progress. Borough Tree Maintenance Status Dead trees at 4 Tracy Lane, 3 Lathrop and 29 Oxford are private trees. Eighty Borough street trees have been removed. Alan will email Frank Russo (Zoning Officer), Dan Buckelew (Deputy Zoning Officer), Ray Codey and Jim Burnet to notify them of instances where Borough property was damaged or destroyed without the knowledge of the STMB and could issue a citation or summons to appear in court as directed by Borough ordinance. DK Tree Experts removed 2 Borough trees at 30 Sherwood.All Affordable damaged a Borough tree at 42 Green with the use of spikes. Lauren noted that the trees on Noe Avenue at the cemetery were trimmed. Spring Tree Planting Out of 105 new trees planted four years ago, 83.8% survived. Lace-bark elms were hardest hit by hurricane Sandy. TCC Three cases were reviewed in June. Alan will update Councilman Rowe. FMST At Bottle Hill Day, the Landmark Tree list will be introduced. At the Madison Recreation Complex, the garden library is finished and the tree seedlings are thriving. Marta McDowell and Alice Wade trimmed the trees and mulched at the Public Safety Complex building. Parks Advisory Committee Periwinkle was planted in the parks on High School Volunteer Day. Two cherry trees were planted in James Park. Nature Nuts is in full swing and eleven Park signs are being made. Old Business Windshield Surveys are due July 1. Alan, Penny and Christine met with Dave and Jimmy to discuss tree planting procedures. The following were suggested: • Ask the tree companies to ID the trees with common names and ribbons. • Update the planting procedure. • Post planting watering – perhaps hire a company • Use gator bags. • Penny will rework the homeowner letter to be left when the tree planting location is marked with a white X. • All trees be delivered on one day. • Proposed meeting before and after planting. Arenovation landscape plan will be updated for tree planting on Wilmer at Saint Vincent’s. New Business Gene will copy the native tree list from The Living Landscape by Doug Tallamy and email to the STMB. The Board adjourned at 9:40am. Minutes submitted by Christine Hammitt.