Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of January 16, 2020 The Shade Tree Management Board held its regularly scheduled meeting at 8:00AM on Thursday, January 16, 2020 in the Committee Room of the Hartley Dodge Memorial, 50 Kings Road, Madison, NJ. Call to Order by Chairman Gene Cracovia. Reading of the Sunshine Law. Members present: Gene Cracovia, Judy Honohan, Brian Monaghan, Stephen Miller, Alan Andreas, Tom Salaki Members absent: Alice Wade, Nancy Bruce, Vince Licari Liaisons present: Maureen Byrne (Council), Joan Maccari (MEC), Ken O’Brien (DPW), Paul Allocco (Parks Advisory) Liaisons absent: Borough Staff present: Frank Russo, Lisa Ellis Board Organization for 2020: Chair- Gene Cracovia, Vice Chair- Nancy Bruce, Secretary- Judy Honohan, Finance- Steve Miller. Meeting dates have been submitted to the Borough Clerk for publication. Minutes: December 2019 minutes approved as submitted. Public contacts/correspondence: Roadside trees at 19 Cedar need evaluation. Burnet Rd. paving, sidewalks and curbs may require removal of one large tree. Recently planted borough trees will not be affected. Council Liaison: MRC Affordable Housing Scoping meeting has been delayed for the State Department of Environmental Protection to review the proposal. Previously DEP had declined involvement. Fourteen affordable units will be constructed at the Central Avenue School carve-out at Community Place. Tree Protection Ordinance: Will be introduced at January 27 Council meeting. February 9 will be the second reading at Council. Implementation will depend on having a contracted Arborist in place. Borough Tree Status: Spring planting: 2020 tree order has been submitted to Borough. DPW currently has the budget to plant up to 120 trees. Tree Contract: Bid opening on Jan. 16. Contracts will include removals in addition to pruning. Waverly Place: Renovation expected in 2021 Contacts/removals/pruning: no update. TCC (Technical Coordinating Committee): No updates Financial Report: Budget for 2020 will remain $130,000. There are still outstanding bills from November and December 2019. 2019 Budget $130,500 Expenditures- Honor Tree $805 James Irish (MRC pear $2,000 removal Creekside Tree Service $1,750 (removals) Tree King (trimming) $920 Total expended YTD $79,773.93 Encumbered $10,230 Unexpended $50,726.07 Remaining Balance $40,496.07 Parks Advisory Committee: Each member will have a liaison assignment to another committee or to a subcommittee of Parks. Stabilizing Forge building is a 2020 goal. Committee will collect data on Park maintenance in order to provide support to DPW when outside contractors are needed. Friends of Madison Shade Trees (FMST): Will assist STMB in outreach to the public regarding the Tree Ordinance. Old/New Business: Mike Giordano attended Rutgers Tree Day in January for 5 CEUs. Tree workshop: The Garden Club is conducting a resident’s workshop on trees. 2020 workshop ideas include; Recommended plantings for Madison, Value of trees, Chris Schorr’s Rotary presentation on canopy trees. Green Drinks: Shanghai Jazz, first Wednesday of each month. Action Items: All: Provide feedback to Gene on MEC letter re Affordable Housing proposal at MRC. Tom and Judy: Draft letters to residents who requested and will get a tree, or will not get a tree. Submitted by Judy Honohan