Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of July 19, 2018 The Shade Tree Management Board held its regularly scheduled meeting at 8:00 AM on Thursday, July 19, 2018 in the Committee 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, Brian Monaghan, Vince Licari, Paul Allocco, Tom Salaki, Judy Honohan, Alice Wade, Alan Andreas, Joan Maccari - liaison Environmental Commission, Carmela Vitale-Council Liaison Absent: Stephen Miller, Ken O’Brien, Guests: Lisa Ellis, Frank Russo, Tom Crimmins Minutes: June, 2018 minutes approved as submitted. Public Contacts/Correspondence: Tom Crimmins, resident of the Luke Miller House, reported two borough trees on the property needing attention. A walnut is damaging a fence gate and an ash is in decline. Both trees will be inspected by STMB representatives to determine action required. Calls have been received concerning the removal of trees at recently sold properties on Loantaka Way. The homes are being restored to single family dwellings and the tree removal required no permitting or notification of the Borough. Tom Salaki has before and after photos for the record. Council Liaison report: Carmela is waiting for a final copy of the Chatham Borough Tree Ordinance. STMB members should review it and some from other boroughs to draft a new ordinance for Madison. The second reading of the revised existing ordinance is on the Council agenda for July 23. The revision includes ordinance enforcement as the responsibility of the Zoning Officer. On September 11, 2018 there will be a public meeting concerning JCP&L line clearance activity on NJ Transit property. Borough Tree Status: Gene has received no additional feedback on his summary report of this year’s planting process. Vince reported he had approved about 55 removals and DPW removed about 50 additional trees, all related to the earlier storms. TCC: One new application will be reviewed by Gene and Vince. Three pin oaks were planted to replace trees damaged by construction staging on Central Ave. in Summerhill Park. Parks Advisory Committee: After discussion with pool representatives, a revised dog park plan has been developed for Council presentation. No trees will be removed and there will be no wetland infringement. The entry gate will be closest to the skating rink area to discourage use of pool parking spaces. Treasurer’s Report: 2018 Budget $118,150.00 Expended this month: Honor Tree $14,475 YTD Expended $77,493.41 Encumbered 2018 $25,580 Unexpended $40,656.59 Old / New Business: JCP&L: On September 11th there will be a public meeting concerning JCP&L line clearance activity. Open Space: Two applications for funds have been forwarded to Council for approval: one for improving Little League infields to reduce flooding; the second to create a paved handicapped path parallel to the entry road to MRC from Ridgedale to the Community Gardens. Trail construction in Summerhill is out for bid again. In Summerhill, one new tree has been planted and a water fountain and spigot installed. DDC: Lisa Ellis has found three volunteers to work with STMB on the Waverly tree study. ArborPro: A proposal will be submitted by Rich Wolowicz to conduct database verification by sampling about 300 entries at a cost of $1.31 per tree. Construction Tree Protection Ordinance: Violation notification should go to Alice Wade >Frank Russo with a cc to Gene Cracovia. Action Items: Carmela: will get previous line clearance statistics (number of trees removed) from Ray Codey. Tom Salaki: will send before and after Loantaka Way photos. Paul Allocco: will provide Memorial Park tree replacement list by October 1st. Vince Licari and Gene: will review new TCC application and inspect trees in pool parking lot for maintenance. Gene: will set up Waverly Place meeting with DDC volunteers. Gene: will request from Ken the DPW list of tree removals not reviewed by Vince. All: Windshield surveys should be conducted by September 15 to identify replacement tree sites. Include “do not plant” sites as circumstances may have changed. Submitted by Judy Honohan