Tree Board

Tree Board minutes 11/27/23 Morgantown Tree Board (MTB) Minutes, meeting of November 27, 2023 Chair D. Barnett called the meeting to order in the Public Safety Building conference room at 4:35 PM, noting that a quorum was present. 1. ATTENDANCE: MTB members Dan Brown, Greg Dahle, Chelsea Hilty, Secretary Jon Weems, and Chair Dave Barnett, and guest/prospective MTB member Dan Shahar, City Council Liaison Joe Abu-Ghannam, City Arborist Kaitlynn Deskins, and Urban Landscape Director Marchetta Maupin. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: D. Brown moved, and J. Weems seconded, that the minutes of the Oct. 23 meeting be approved as amended. The motion carried unanimously. 3. REPORT FROM CITY STAFF: M. Maupin reported that the MTB terms of Matt Cummons, C. Hilty, and Donna Marie Foster are expiring and need to be renewed. She and K. Deskins said trees at Woodburn had been planted much too deeply but had since been replanted at proper depth, with a few more to be planted in the spring. M. Maupin added that tree planting on Pleasant St. could begin soon, and that there were many trees in need of attention in the South Park area below Richmond St. K. Deskins was still in need of clarification of requirements for ISA certification. G Dahle suggested a course of action. K. Deskins noted the Tree City USA application was complete except for numbers anticipated after the first of the year. She reported over fifty children participated in the tree ring craft at MTB’s table at the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree event. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Review Approved Tree & Shrub List. The review process was continuing. The list was ultimately to be presented to City Council as an action item. Because revision after adoption is awkward, it was thought to be very important to be confident of the list presented to City Council. 2. Tree Cleanup I-68 Sabraton Interchange. A site visit on a mild winter day was tentatively agreed upon, time and date TBA. 3. MTB report to City Council. D. Barnett shared a draft PowerPoint presentation and received helpful feedback from MTB members. J. Abu-Ghannam stressed the importance of keeping the report focused and brief. D. Barnett, hopefully supported by the presence of other MTB members, planned to deliver the report the following evening. 4. Outreach. A possible December program at the Morgantown Public Library was pending. The need for an updated MTB brochure was discussed. D. Shahar suggested considering WVU class involvement in creating a new brochure. D. Barnett shared an old version. C. Hilty and K. Deskins expressed interest. 5. NEW BUSINESS/OPEN PUBLIC FORUM: 1. K. Deskins mentioned BOPARC interest in having MTB involved in trail management issues, including invasive exotic plants. The possibility of a January or  Tree Board minutes 11/27/23 February working meeting was mentioned. D. Shahar floated the possibility of WVU MBA students planting trees. D. Brown suggested a new campus area with open space for possible planting and suggested D. Shahar contact Ron Justice. Discussion turned to Morgantown’s small size and irregular city limits creating a need for a regional non- profit to encourage appropriate landscaping. C. Hilty suggested MTB might establish goals for 2024. 7. NEXT MEETING: 4:30 PM, Monday, January 22, 2024, location TBA. 8. ADJOURN: D. Brown moved, and G. Dahle seconded, that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously at 6:02. Respectfully submitted, _____________________ Jon Weems, Secretary