Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ Minutes of October 15, 2015 Meeting Present: Steve Miller, Nancy Bruce, Penny Garman, Gene Cracovia, Lauren Hagerstrom, Vince Licari. Paul Allocco. Absent: Alan Andreas, Christine Hammitt, Mike Kopas, David Maines, Pat Lowe September Minutes approved. Budget Report:  Approved to allocate $2,500 of Professional Services for moving the Space Shuttle pine at the library. (Gene proposed /Nancy seconded)  Move remaining $5,000 from Professional Service to Maintenance.  Honor Tree continues street tree pruning. No report from them about what still has to be completed.  Tree King has 19 trees on list for removal. Approx. $500 per tree with stump grinding.  Maintenance contract is due this year. Vince will review existing contract. Tree Issues:  Work done on Kings Road sidewalks required cutting roots of zelkovas  39 Noe: trenches dug near tree. STMB recommends that builder take down tree and replace. Ray Codey will move on it.  52 Crestview: Builder will replace the two trees that were removed  78 Sampson: Builder will remove dirt and add proper tree protection. Private dangerous trees  29 Oxford & 26 Buckingham. Letters will be sent by borough  Greenwood at corner of Knollwood. Alan spoke with owner and tree will be removed by end of the month. Tree Planting/Maintenance/Removals:  Penny has requests for 3 trees on Central Ave. It was agreed to put them on the spring planting list although it is a county road.  166 tree removals to date. (Includes 19 on list to be removed).  Windshield surveys are due December 1. Look for planting sites with type of tree, dead trees, trees that need pruning.  Will continue program of asking residents if they want street trees. 30 requests from 2015 program although not all sites were viable. Will publicize program through Rosenet, Eagle, Patch etc. TCC:  Six homes going up on Kings Rd/Division Ave. There are approx. 12 trees (pin and willow oaks) which are relatively young and healthy. If sidewalks are put in, all trees will be removed. Vince suggested that sidewalk be put in outside the Right Of Way on private property to accommodate existing trees. Suggestion: let builder issue a sidewalk easement. Parks:  Shelter at skating rink renovation request has gone to Open Spaces. May need to meet new requirement of fundraising.  Dog Park on hold pending new wetlands guide.  Knotweed at Summerhill, Central Green parks will be cut down by SLAP and boy scouts. Recommended method for dealing with knotweed is to cut down 2-3 times a year. FMST:  Will move some of the bigger trees from the tree nursery and plant in parks. Working on sites.  Looking to prune the RR embankment on Kings Road east of Prospect. Having difficulty getting Transit approved contractor to take on job. Ongoing issue.  Looking at stressed out trees in Kings Road commuter parking lots. Vince suggested that during drought water should be injected in ground. He will give FMST an estimate for doing it in November.  FMST will add a line item to its budget for watering /maintenance. Old Business:  Bottle Hill Day rescheduled for Saturday October 24. STMB/FMST will have a table.  Landmark Trees: the brochure has been updated and printed. Meeting adjourned at 9:25. Respectfully submitted by Nancy Bruce for Christine Hammitt.