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09-07-10 Street Tree MinutesKALISPELL STREET TREE COMMISSION MEETING HELD September 7, 2010 --- 4:00 p.m. Present: Bette Albright, Andrea Davidson, Dawn Tacke, David Jones, Lisa Simmer, and Chad Fincher Next Meeting Date: October 12, 2010 - 4 PM — Kalispell Parks and Recreation General Items of Discussion: • Upcoming Recycling Drive • Urban Forestry Excellence Application • Dutch Elm Disease Grant Project Report • Miscellaneous Business Member David Jones, presented Bette Albright with a child's book Arbor Day Square for her many years of dedication to the Street Tree Commission. David volunteered to get more copies of the book, should Bette wish to include it with the items she loans to the 3rd grade classrooms that participate in Arbor Day celebrations. Trees to Paper to Trees Recycling Drive The fall Trees To Paper To Trees Recycling Drive will be held on September 18, 2010, from 9 am to 3 pm at the north end of the Fairgrounds. Members and volunteers should come at 8:30 to help set up. Bette has taken care of the following: • Fairgrounds reservation & fairgrounds readerboard advertising in place (drive will be at the north end of the fairgrounds and access to building for restrooms will be available) • Photos to Daily Interlake • Anchor Club volunteer contacts • Pacific Recycling containers ordered Lisa and Chad have taken care of the following: • PSA to over 1000 parks email customers • Work orders to have date on banner changed and banner hung on fairground fence • Work orders for sandwich board signs, candles & cones, and recycling • Invited volunteers from MCC, Master Gardeners class and FVCC Montana Campus Corp • Confirmed Boy Scout volunteers who will be working in 2 hours shifts Additional duties are assigned as follows: Bette: • Breakfast food/misc refreshments (hot water pot and hot chocolate) • Box of standard supplies (box cutters, tape, etc) Dawn: • 3 - 12 packs of soda • Step stool Lisa: • Media Public Services Announcement • Donation & delivery of pizza + tip for driver • Water jugs • Name Tags Chad • Blue tent 2010 Urban Forestry Excellence Award Lisa brought a copy of the DNRC Urban Forestry Excellence Award application packet to the meeting for the group to review. It was noted that board member Dawn Tacke did an exceptional job writing a City of Kalispell nomination for this award. Dutch Elm Disease Grant Project Chad Fincher gave a report on the status of the Dutch Elm Disease grant project. He noted that 98 trees have been removed to date. Doepker Landscaping will start the second planting soon. There are still 18 trees to be planted and this will bring the total planting number to 66 trees. Mark Lennon, DNRC grant representative will be on site to review and approve plantings. City crews have been watering the trees during hot periods. Miscellaneous Business Parks staff informed the board that city crews and staff members recycled 2800+ of paper and cardboard from the basement of the old city hall. There were no proceeds from this recycling project; however it didn't go to the landfill. The group discussed a number of tree issues and concerns. The half dead hazard spruce next to the county courthouse is the responsibility of the county, as it's on their property. Downtown trees conditions were discussed. It was noted there are a number dead or dying. These trees have been inventoried by the parks staff and are scheduled for removal, depending on varying conditions. It was explained that some of these trees are dead or dying due to the trees having reached a maturity and outgrown the downtown planting space. Some trees are not being properly watered and others suffer from urban foot traffic and mishaps. The group would like to see more downtown business owners take an active part in watering and caring for trees, however recognizing oftentimes the worse trees are located in front of vacant businesses. The same is the case for trees along Hwy. 93 south. The majority of the dead trees are adjoining vacant properties. The group brainstormed different thoughts about ways to ensure the watering of downtown trees. Using funds from grants and/or recycling drives to purchase equipment for this purpose were mentioned. The city anticipates identifying approximately 40 trees that are dead and will need removal. These include the maples located around county properties which have died as a result of over salting of sidewalks by the county and American Elms which have flagged and died since the first inventory and identification list for grant project. City staff is currently updating the approved tree species planting list for city right-of-ways. This list will be reviewed and input gathered from Mike Baker, Kevin from Wild Geese Gardens and Street Tree Commission. It is anticipated that the list will grow from 15 species to approximately 60. A more diverse list is being developed, as it is hoped that diversity among plantings will help with future problems such as Dutch Elm disease, pine beetles, etc. Staff is currently working on a door hanger/flyer for residents who have newly planted boulevard trees, with the hopes that residents will have a clearer understanding of how much watering is needed. David Jones asked if the group should consider purchasing more purple lures to help with Emerald Ash bore monitoring. Andrea asked about the tree that was ran over near the high school. Chad informed the group that he could not find the responsible party. He had researched the incident but due to the fact that the vehicle was privately towed, high school cameras did not show the incident and KPD did not have a police report, he had hit a dead end. Bette informed the group that a tree planted on Arbor Day at Hedges school had died, however Chad assured her a replacement planting had just happened covered under warranty. Next Meeting The Street Tree Commission meeting is October 12, 2010. There was no other business and the meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.