Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of June 21, 2018 The Shade Tree Management Board held its regularly scheduled meeting at 8:00 AM on Thursday, June 21, 2018 in the Trustee’s room of Hartley Dodge Memorial, 50 Kings Road, Madison, NJ. Call to Order by Chairman Gene Cracovia. Reading of the Sunshine Law. Present: Gene Cracovia, Nancy Bruce, Stephen Miller, Brian Monaghan, Vince Licari, Paul Allocco, Ken O’Brien, Tom Salaki, Judy Honohan, Joan Maccari- liaison Environmental Commission, Carmela Vitale-Council Liaison Absent: Alice Wade, Alan Andreas Guests: Lisa Ellis Minutes: May, 2018 minutes approved as submitted. Public Contacts/Correspondence: To date, there have been 124 public contacts that have been assessed and recommended actions provided. Council Liaison report: Carmela is working with Ray Codey on a tree ordinance change which would identify who enforces the ordinance. Note: Chatham Borough has passed and Chatham Township is considering a stronger shade tree ordinance. Madison Borough has assumed mowing responsibility for the front of the Luke Miller House. Borough Tree Status: 3 Redbuds and 1 zelkova along Ridgedale are dead and need to be removed. When they are replaced Vince recommended hardier green leaf rather than copper or red varieties. Low branch pruning is currently needed on the redbuds. Ken reported spring plantings are complete. DPW should be entering new tree data into ArborPro. It was suggested that 2019 plantings focus on specific streets, possibly Waverly and Park Ave. TCC: The lighting and landscape plan for FDU fields has been revised but there is no final resolution to concerns of adjoining residents. Parks Advisory Committee: DPW has cleared Spring Garden Brook of debris. Nature Nuts camp begins next week. With financial assistance from Madison Historical Society, the Forge at Luke Miller House will be repaired. A potential dog park in Memorial Park is still under consideration. FMST: One chestnut tree in James Park is failing. Ken will seek a replacement chestnut. There is money for fall tree plantings and for trees to complete Noe. Gibbons Place will be planted using grant money from the Madison Garden Club, FMST and the Borough. Treasurer’s Report: 2018 Budget $117,650.00 New 2018 budget $118,150 Expended this month: Honor Tree $2,250 Tree King $9,040 Levitt’s (gator bags, cultivators) $433.41 YDT expended $63,018.41 Encumbered 2018 $40,055 Unexpended $55,131.59 Old / New Business: JCP&L: Vince and Gene looked at fifteen trees along the south side of the tracks which were marked for removal. It appears there will be minimal impact on private property. There is concern about the disruption of the Indiana bat (an endangered species) habitat. Construction Updates: A sidewalk tree along Kings Road at Millennium development is dead. The developer will remove and replace it. The work staging area used by the borough on Central Ave. at Summerhill Park has some construction-killed trees with more expected in the short term. The tree species planted at Rose Hall, Kings Rd. may be maples and /or London plane. There was a question as to what species were part of the original development proposal. Open Space: Nancy and an Open Space team visited Madison sites. Some are borough owned, some not. Maintaining open spaces is a continuing concern and periodic visits with a report are a requirement under Open Space guidelines. Trees at the pool outer parking area need pruning. DDC: Lisa Ellis has put Waverly tree replacements on the DDC agenda for the next meeting. Main street trees need pruning and some replacements. DDC reps should meet with STMB reps to discuss funds availability from DDC to replace the trees. ArborPro: Steve concluded the meeting with a data base demonstration. Action Items: Carmela: by next STMB meeting plans to have Frank Russo designated as the enforcement official for the construction tree protection issues. Tom Salaki: Has volunteered to serve as the 2019 spring tree planting coordinator. Paul Allocco: Will create a list of tree locations/species in Memorial Park that need to be replaced. Vince Licari: Will have a final count of trees removed as a result of the March 2018 storm cleanup. All: Provide feedback on Gene’s spring planting summary as to what might change and what remain. Provide feedback to Joan Maccari of MEC regarding the electric bill enclosure encouraging energy conservation to reduce the cost of borough power contracts Submitted by Judy Honohan