Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of October 20, 2016 Meeting The Shade Tree Management Board held its regular monthly meeting on September 15, 2016 beginning at 8:00 AM in the Committee Room of the Hartley Dodge Memorial, 50 Kings Road, Madison, NJ. Call to Order: Gene Cracovia called the meeting to order. Present: Gene Cracovia, Nancy Bruce, Alice Wade, Penny Garman, Stephen Miller, Vince Licari Mike Kopas, Alan Andreas, David Maines (DPW), Paul Allocco (Parks), Brian Monaghan (Guest). Minutes: September minutes were approved. The Board addressed the following items of business: Public Comments  Thursday Morning Club requested that a zelkova be removed at the Community House. Conflict with sewer line. Board agreed. No new tree to be planted Borough Tree Status  89 removals to date  223 trees pruned to date  2 declining zelkovas (Kings Rd. and Green Ave.) will be removed and replaced with same.  Tree protection enforcement is needed at two building sites (18 Broadview and 2 Arlena Ct).  New house at 56 Crestview street trees: Penny will suggest. Private Tree Issues  At new house at Loantaka and Madison Ave, private trees are dying and leaning towards Drew property. Will send Bob Vogel an email apprising him of situation.  At 29 Canterbury a private dead tree has been standing for a year. TCC No report Budget Report Budget - $117,650 Budget for 2017 will remain same Expended $1,595.00 – Tree King $6,152.50 – Honor Tree Service Total Expended $85,995.78 Encumbered $23,297.50 Unexpended $31,654.22 $2,000 unencumbered in Maintenance Transfer $4,300 from Professional Services to Maintenance. Parks Advisory Committee  Apple trees at Livesey Park will be removed  12 park signs will be installed to replace old/damaged ones  Funding for the shelter at Memorial Park is close to goal. Parks will look for Open Space funding.  Paul and Mike will evaluate ash trees in parks. FMST  Bottle Hill Day: Adopt a Tree from the tree nursery was successful. 3 residents signed up for a spring street tree. It was suggested that green groups should be set up in the same area next year.  Trustees met at Summerhill Park on Ridgedale side to evaluate for proposed and agreed it was the best site. Nancy and Gene met with consulting arborist, Rich Wolowicz to help in planning. Several trees were marked for take down. Old Business  Construction/street tree protection: need to incorporate comments from STMB and meet with Bob Vogel on how to implement.  Sustainable NJ: recertified for Silver. Madison submitted 4 sections; tree hazard section not approved. Gene will resubmit. The section requires extensive, professional evaluations/tracking that most towns cannot afford or perform. New Business  Windshield surveys due Nov. 1.  STMB will sponsor an Emerald Ash Borer Presentation by Rich Wolowicz on Tuesday November 22, 7 PM at the Case Room of the Madison Public Library. The public is encouraged to attend.  Chestnut Grove: Gene and Nancy, with help from DPW, transplanted 3 chestnut saplings from the tree nursery to James Park. The three trees were given to Madison by the American Chestnut Foundation. Several years ago, chestnuts from the foundation had been planted at same site. Two of those three survive.   Landmark Copper Beech at the train station will be pruned and fertilized.  David has ordered magnetic decals for STMB to use on their cars when doing windshield surveys around town.  25 Dellwood Dr. – representatives of the resident presented a proposed landscape plan, which would affect a number of street trees. Vince and Mike agreed to visit the site with the representatives to assess the situation. Board adjourned 9:18 AM Submitted by Nancy Bruce