Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of March 15, 2018 The Shade Tree Management Board held its regularly scheduled meeting at 8:00 AM on Thursday, March 15, 2018 in the committee room of Hartley Dodge Memorial, 50 Kings Road, Madison, NJ. Call to Order at 8:04 by Chairman Gene Cracovia. Reading of the Sunshine Law. Present: Gene Cracovia, Stephen Miller, Vince Licari, Alice Wade, Alan Andreas, Tom Salaki, Judy Honohan, Carmela Vitale - Council liaison Absent: Nancy Bruce, Brian Monaghan, Ken O’Brien, Paul Allocco, Joan Maccari- liaison from Environmental Commission Minutes: February 2018 minutes approved as corrected. Public Contacts/Correspondence: Alice will follow up on printing of tree tags to be provided to contractors informing them of their responsibilities regarding site trees. Tom voiced concerns about Summerhill Park, Central Ave. being used as a staging site for pipes and soil by a contractor for the borough. Borough Tree Status: Windshield Surveys: 03/06/18 Northeaster: Response of the public has been patience and borough electric has been rapid. Branches over right-of-way are borough issues. DPW is working from call list from public. Tom has completed Windshield Survey of NW quadrant and entered into ArborPro under tag “030618.” Remaining quadrants should be completed by 3/23. Madison Borough car door magnets are available for use while surveying. Gene will share DPW call list with surveyors. Damage to trees larger than 6” diameter or at a height greater than 15 feet will require contractor work. Please make note of any ground stumps for future planting guidance. Data collected on the surveys may inform decisions on tree species to plant in the future. Drew Trees: Tree maintenance on the Drew property between Glenwild and Woodcliff should be preventive to avoid falls across Green Village. Line Clearance Meeting: Vince and Gene met with the Electric Department and the new vendor. Vendor has a staff arborist. STMB will be informed of streets to be pruned. A goal is to have all pruners properly trained. Spring Plantings: List of planting sites is ready. The revised letter to property owners is ready for mailing next week. If possible before mailing, Gene will add the tree planting Ordinance. Highest priority are resident requests for trees and replacement trees. Given the information provided before planting, plantings are final. Every attempt will be made to have planted trees fit property landscape. TCC: 2 cases are under review. Parks: Baseball backstops collapsed in the 3/6/18 storm. FMST: The annual fund raising letter has gone out. STMB has no plans for fall plantings but FMST might undertake this. Treasurer’s Report: 2017 Budget $117,650.00 Expended this month (Honor Tree) $1,187.50 Tree King $3,130 Total expended 2017 YTD $97,426.61 Encumbered 2017 $3,277.75 Unexpended 2017 $20,223.39 Budget 2018 $117,650.00 Encumbered 2018 $102,640 Richview Consulting $4,500.00 Honor Tree $50,000 Tree King $30,000 Barton Nursery $18,140 Old / New Business: ArborPro database: New version does not allow closing of lists – Steve to follow-up. Tom will send board members a screen shot of data entry process. DPW staff will be encouraged to use Arbor Pro. Arbor Day: The Madison schools are on board for the May 5 celebration. Waverly Place: Tom will meet with Ken, Vince and Gene at Waverly Place to review the idea of expanded tree pits and deep fertilizing for two fading honey locusts. Green Drinks: The first Green Drinks gathering will likely take place this spring. Still some work to be done. Meeting Format: meetings will now conclude with a summary of Action Items and person responsible. Action Items: TCC two reports - Alan Develop response to resident rejecting planting - Ken, Vince and Gene Arbor Pro demo at next meeting - Steve Drew trees - Vince Windshield Surveys (by 3/23) - all Tree tags - Alice Planting letter revision - Gene Adjourned 9:25 Submitted by Judy Honohan