Beautification and Improvement Commission

Minutes – 4/4/24 Beau�fica�on and Improvement Commission Roll Call: Commissioners Present: Sherwin Ditlove Vernell Ellison-Smith George Hubchak Frederick Lisiewicz Ed Potash Mitchell Sandler (vice chair) Valerie Shuman Brooke Sprague Bob Quane (chair) Mike Madalinski William Oney-Paige Commissioners Absent: Rachel Rosenberg (excused) Ross Del Rosario (excused) William (Tony) Barney Katy Darr (excused) Forester Cathy Stevens – Present Trustee James Johnson – Absent Mee�ng called at 6:35PM 1. Minutes approved 2. Commissioner Shuman (New Ini�a�ves) a. Calendar put together i. Edible garden ii. Arbor day iii. Emily Oaks iv. Wednesday on the Green v. Nomina�ng vi. Parade b. Commissioner Quane to turn over Emily Oaks project to Commissioner Lisiewicz and Forester Stevens i. Commissioner Lisiewicz reads email from Lee Hansen (Park District, Manager of Emily Oaks Nature Center) 1. B&I will sell trees at the na�ve plant sale 2. Include a handout on how to care for tree 3. Have a QR code/link to Chicago Regional Tree Ini�a�ve on Forestry Page 4. Na�ve plant sale will be on 5/19 – 12-2:30PM 5. Commissioner Lisiewicz to talk to Lee Hansen about residents buying trees from commission ii. Commissioner Potash and Commissioner Del Rosario will be heading outreach to the Farmers’ Market iii. Commissioner Oney-Paige will work on outreach to Wednesday on the Green c. Commissioner Shuman asks “How are we tracking outcomes?” i. How are we reaching people? d. Commissioner Oney-Paige talks a bit about what he wants to do for Wednesday on the Green i. Small table, couple �mes over the summer atend ii. Commissioner Oney-Paige has connec�ons within the Skokie Chamber of Commerce e. Farmers’ Market – Possibly work with Shady Grove Nursery that sells na�ve plants at the Farmers’ Market i. B&I may need/want to only atend a couple of weekends. f. Buton samples passed out g. B&I pu�ng together a “kit” for these appearances around the Village. h. Items that must be done: i. Discuss everywhere we can adver�se our presence ii. Must reach out to Communica�ons Manager Meredith Gioia iii. Recruit tree advocates iv. Make sure everything is live on the Forestry page v. How do people tell the Village if they plant their own tree? (ideas below) 1. Maybe take a pic and get entered in the raffle 2. Possibly take a photo and upload to a form 3. Communica�ons Manager Gioia is running current form for ge�ng photo 4. Images of people having trees planted a. B&I needs more photos of people plan�ng trees 5. B&I needs to be consistent about hashtags i. Awards brochure en route i. Basically same brochure with updated dates ii. QR code goes to B&I site iii. Only prin�ng for event at library due to FY end j. Commissioner Madalinski shows places that he and Commissioner Darr scoped out for possible plan�ngs  i. Around Lincoln & Oakton ii. Forester Stevens recommends against plan�ng in middle of Oakton iii. Main and Lincoln – another spot by Niles Township 1. Commissioner Oney-Paige says Niles Township may be willing to help iv. Dempster – Forester Stevens talks about the island on Dempster and how it was revitalized 1. Commissioner Stevens would like to drive around with Commissioner Madalinski & Commissioner Darr to look at sites 2. Not a one-and-done – if B&I decides to do one plan�ng now, B&I can wait for another site 3. Chair Quane asks Commissioner Madalinski to narrow down what and where B&I wants to do everything this Spring k. Arbor Day – Chair Quane i. Chair Quane goes over schedule for 2024 Arbor Day 2024 program at Madison and what interac�ons we will have with the school/kids ii. 3 trees will be planted iii. Forester Stevens to make site visit to see where trees should go iv. Chair Quane’s thinking there may be more of the general public at this event v. There will be a blurb in Skokie News vi. Communica�ons Manager Gioia will be at the event as well vii. Forester Stevens needs to figure out how many children will be atending the event l. Door Hanger – design already mostly finished – Forester Stevens says there may be edits i. Awards/Nomina�ons Form – some edits and back and forth with Communica�ons Manager Gioia ii. Some differing language regarding people entering their own property directly online iii. Nomina�ng other proper�es – reach out to B&I directly m. Commissioner Sprague – April 16th talk i. 48 out of 50 seats filled ii. Commissioner Sprague will be ac�ng subcommission head for Educa�on since Commissioner Rosenberg has some personal issues to atend to. iii. Check via raised hands at mee�ng how everyone heard about the talk n. Forester Stevens – update on tree plan�ngs i. Most going on week before Arbor Day ii. East Prairie – plan�ng 4/19 at 9:30AM iii. Oakton Community College – 4/18 in the morning iv. Middleton and Myer – figured out where to plant trees for next year v. 50 trees at Ida Crown next year vi. Cathy will leave 4 books at each school vii. Might try to get one at Lincoln Jr High Mee�ng Adjourned at 7:30PM