Shade Tree Management Board

Shade Tree Management Board Madison, NJ 07940 Minutes of January 18, 2024 The Shade Tree Management Board held its regular meeting at 8:15 AM on Thursday, January 18, 2024. It was a hybrid meeting in the Borough’s Committee Room and a Zoom link. Call to Order by Chairman Gene Cracovia. Statement in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of this meeting of the Shade Tree Management Board was provided by transmitting a copy of the meeting notice to the Madison Eagle, Morris County Daily Record, posting a copy on the bulletin board at the main entrance of the Borough Hall, and filing a copy in the Office of the Clerk, all on January 10, 2024. Copies of said notice were made available to the general public. Attendance Name Present Role Name Present Role Bartley, K x Member Miller, S x Member Bruce, N x Member Daley, B x MEC Cracovia, G x Member O’Brien, K x DPW Honohan, J x Member Wolowicz, R x Arborist Trynin, R x Alternate Schorr, C x FMST Limbach, G x Alternate Landrigan, R Council Monaghan, B x Member Fontaine, E x (in for T. Salaki) Salaki, T Member Farschon, E x Richview Consulting Minutes Approval Motion to approve October minutes; motion carried. Vote: 2024 Organization: Board Members, Officers, staying the same. Judy H. reupped. • Public Correspondence / Requests o Borough Trees / Service Requests KEN * Honor finished with list 11, working on 12, 16 jobs on list 13 is ongoing…slowing for the season. * to speak to DENNIS about Memorial trails section 3 Delbarton Park to outline specs on tree removal and replacement going forward and to be in agreement with: parks, zoning, arborist, MEC, maybe Claire W. since more trees need to come down. No plan was in place before the previous paths went in and now it’s a safety issue and we have less easy access to them. County Grant for this project states no tree removals so we’ve tried to save them all but backfired because ash disease in the subsequent years since grant was given so more sick trees had to be removed. Bob Vogel retiring (borough engineer) Dennis is acting in his stead until we find someone. o Private Trees / Service Requests RICH *164 total private service requests Number seems on par with previous years. Permit requests- pretty on trend too. *Emily is working with Rich, updating arbor pro, tree surveys, doing field work. *Bonnie Giordano filling in for Fran part time with some of the permit paperwork. Spring 2024 Planting / Tree Order *Judy- order will go out mid-february requesting late april delivery. Spring is street trees and a few in the park. Valley road being planted in spring also. Spring is Ken’s staff, Fall is outside group. Discussion on Leave the Leaves campaign: *Bridget is working on a presentation to educate the community what it really means to leave them and not have your landscaper collect them on the side of the road. • Council Liaison Report – not up and running with Bob Landrigan yet • TCC/Zoning Board Cases - no • STMB Budget Reports - 2023 & 2024 STEVE: 2023 - unexpended total $5000/$202,000 ish. Most expenses Rich and Honor Tree. Honor payment has increased due to more crane usage - ash trees too dangerous to climb; and dead trees in unreachable places need cranes too. Year to Date – 2023 Budget (Total budget of $202,200) 2024 Budget is yet to be established 1. Expended: $196,457.19 2. Encumbered: $3,122.46 3. Remaining Balance: $2,620.35 4. Unexpended: $5,742.81 This Month Paid: $33,353.00 - Honor Tree Service (removals/pruning) $1,548.00 - Richview Consulting GENE: Money being transferred into budget to replace 29 trees pickleball courts. “Agricultural supplies” transferred by Jim Burnet into 2024 budget. • Some STMB 2024 Goals o Arbor Day Celebration yes according to Bridget - Nancy figuring out date o Tree Inventory Grant(s) - keep an eye out for them o Sustainable 2024 Actions Two action items: re up information that we have on sustainable madison - kathi filing doc to the state sustainable org to be an officially recognized sustainable group. And two of our items need updating. ????? o Tree ID Walk –  Bridget and Claire and Kate are planning an October tree walk. FMST will support this financially. Goal is to do one per season. Summerhill park natural habitat and a trail might be first. o New Tree Pruning – Judy submitted the list of trees planted in 2021 for Honor to prune at the 3 year mark. Small saw operation. • Rotary 100 Tree Planting – T. Salaki to assess sites and species. NJ Tree Foundation doing fall planting for next 30-35 likely MRC. • NJ Tree Seedling Recovery Campaign – Where to store until they are given out on Arbor Day? • Partner Organizations o MEC Bridget: *seed giveaway very successful with flowering plants that have to go in right now. *Neighborhood gathering - Eco house tour this weekend with Tom describing how he’s turning the lawn to native plants on Maple Street. *MIGHT BE ??Great swamp webinars leading up to native plant sale *Faith community movement too to get those properties into native. o FMST Chris: in person re-org meeting at the end of the month. Still committed to pursuing tree inventory grant. Applying for grant from garden club for rose garden park FMST will match. o Parks Advisory report by WHOM???? *Master plan being created for 3 of the parks. This is a smaller version of a larger master plan that has yet to be done. Bids in review. Not yet know who is new head of Parks.. o Open Space - Brian -no meeting but will have one next month o Sustainable Madison- no Nancy- Reviewed new categories and things we should do that wouldn’t be that difficult to get to the next level of Growth awards after Tree City. Look at website for details. George: Attended Rutgers symposium to learn about the future of our hardwoods. Submitted by Robin Trynin