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15. Appointments - Street Tree Commission835 Fifth Avenue West Kalispell, MT 59901 March 17, 2009 Mayor Pam Kennedy P.O. Box 1997 Kalispell, MT 59903 Dear Mayor Kennedy, I am interested in applying for a position on the board for Street Tree Commission. I have been a city resident since July of 1998, and am a life-long Flathead Valley resident. I am particularly interested in the Street Tree Commission because of the issues related several variety of trees. We have two majestic Elms trees on our boulevard, so I am very interested and concerned with the spread of Dutch Elm disease. Although the spread of Pine beetle in eastern and central Montana has not yet impacted us; it may in the future. I contribute regularly to the Arbor Foundation and know their philosophy that the best managed urban areas have a variety of trees to lessen the impact of a disease or drought, climate change, etc. I feel I can offer guidance and suggestions on this board, and can learn a lot also. Additional personal information about me: I was born and raised in Whitefish, and moved to the Kalispell area in 1981. I have worked for Child Development Center since 1999, and previously worked for 20 years at Flathead Industries. I am on the Board of Directors for Special Friends Advocacy Program and am a Special Friend for an adult woman with a disability. I also serve on the local Associate Board for Parents Lets Unite for Kids (PLUK). My husband and I purchased our house in 1998 and appreciate the mature trees in the area; along with the birds and squirrels that they attract. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Andrea Davi 752-7902 (home) 755-2425 (work) 10 Honeysuckle Lane Kalispell, Montana 59901 March 28, 2009 Dear Mayor Kennedy, I'm very interested in working on the Street Tree Commission. I moved to Kalispell from Missoula six years ago to work as a librarian in the Whitefish High School library. I had lived in an historic area with old established maples in Missoula.In Kalispell, I moved to The Willows, a new development with very few trees. The reason I am interested in working with the tree commission is the lack of trees in the neighborhood. I called the city when I first arrived and was told that trees had been planted. I called the developer and he said trees had been planted. But, since there were no people living in the area, most of the trees died. Young trees in our area also have to deal with the water situation. We're planting our own trees now, but it is expensive. I spent $200 at Hoopers for two boulevard trees last fall. When the new housing development was built above the Willows, trees were again planted before there were people living in the area. What happened there and in the Willows indicates a lack of foresight and a waste of trees. Trees are valuable to a growing neighborhood. They provide shade, a place for kids to play, and animals and birds find shelter and food in them. Trees aid in pollution control and provide a natural cooling effect in an area. "The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams. "—USDA Forest Service. "There are about 60-to 200- million spaces along our city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4 billion in energy costs." —National Wildlife Federation Because I think trees are so essential to neighborhoods, I would like to work on the commission to deal with the problems that older trees present in established neighborhoods and to help new developments turn into neighborhoods by adding the essential ingredient: TREES! Please. con"cc, me if you'have'aiy questions. — 257-4142 or school: 862-8600 x456. DAWN TACKE 7381- AvE WEST KALISPELL, MT 59901 406.752.6859 December 23, 2008 Mayor Pam Kennedy City of Kalispell PO Box 1997 Kalispell, MT 59903 Dear Mayor Kennedy: I am writing to express interest in serving as a volunteer on the Street Tree Commission. Many months ago, I called and spoke to a woman in the Parks Department and inquired about the health of the trees around the government buildings on First Avenue West. I live on First Avenue West and was (still am) concerned about those trees that are such an important part of why I bought a home there in 2001. At that time, the employee I spoke with (I regret I've since lost her card, so don't have her name handy) mailed me information about the Commission. It's taken quite a while to respond, but I'm at last getting around to it? While my primary interest in the Commission is my love of the city's trees, I am also a strong supporter of recycling and resource conservation efforts in general. My employment background is in human/social services, but for over a year, I have worked with Flathead Land Trust, a local non-profit concerned with private land conservation in the Flathead. If you are still short of members, I would like to be considered for a volunteer position. You can reach me at 752-8293 (wk) or 752-6859 (hm). Respectfully, a /acke