Tree Board

Tree Board minutes 1/22/24 Morgantown Tree Board (MTB) Minutes, meeting of January 22, 2024 Chair D. Barnett called the meeting to order in the Public Safety Building conference room at 4:33 PM, noting that a quorum was present. (The venue shifted to another room partway through the meeting.) 1. ATTENDANCE: MTB members Dan Brown, Matt Cummons, Greg Dahle, Chelsea Hilty, Secretary Jon Weems, and Chair Dave Barnett, and guest/prospective MTB member Rob Eckenrode, City Arborist Kaitlynn Deskins, and City Horticulturist Katherine Millette. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: D. Brown moved, and C. Hilty seconded, that the minutes of the Nov. 27 meeting be approved as amended. The motion carried unanimously. 3. REPORT FROM CITY STAFF: K. Deskins reported that the Tree City USA application had been completed and submitted. She added that the Pleasant Street trees had all been planted and the tree database updated accordingly. However, trees near the stairway at the former Woodburn School remained to be planted. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Review Approved Tree & Shrub List. Discussion centered around the need for the list to be sortable to make it more user-friendly. Ideally, it could also be editable by the Tree Board so the list would not have to go through City Council for every minor amendment. K. Deskins said she would speak with Marvin Davis and Hollie Gregory about these matters. 2. Tree Cleanup I-68 Sabraton Interchange. Questions arose about whether this would be a legitimate MTB project or a state project, and how to find out. D. Brown suggested the WV DOH Tourism office might be able to clarify. 5. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Handmade Market. It was suggested that shrub and small tree seedlings might be appropriate items to hand out at this April 27, 2024 event, and First Energy had a long list of possible species. M. Cummons indicated he would inquire about available species. 2. 2024 Outreach. Questions were asked about a calendar of other public events in which MTB might wish to participate. A draft brochure distributed by C. Hilty was favorably received, with some numbers in need of verification and some links possibly added. G. Dahle suggested a link to the WV Division of Forestry Urban and Community Forestry program. Discussion of possible neighborhood tree walks based at public properties such as parks brought out some opinions that this could best be done in May through July, when trees are in leaf and daylight extends well into warm evenings. K. Deskins and C. Hilty reported they have begun a program of reading tree-related books with kids at the Morgantown Public Library.  Tree Board minutes 1/22/24 6. OPEN PUBLIC FORUM: It was announced that the State is launching a grant program to use IRA funds for 100% reimbursement of money spent to plant public trees in disadvantaged neighborhoods, with applications for the first round due April 1. Bob Hannah and Chris Bodkin were involved. Maps showed some eligible neighborhoods within City limits and more outside the City. 7. NEXT MEETING: 4:30 PM, Monday, February 26, 2024, location TBA. 8. ADJOURN: D. Brown moved, and G. Dahle seconded, that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously at 6:08. Respectfully submitted, _____________________ Jon Weems, Secretary