CITY OF
PICKERINGTON
TREE COMMISSION
CITY HALL, 100
LOCKVILLE ROAD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9,
2007
REGULAR MEETING
6:00 P.M.
A. Street Tree Report
Mr. Goodrich asked how many trees would be planted this spring. Mr. Ellis stated there would be 120 planted. Mr. Ellis stated Pickens Tree Service should be starting anytime with the planting. Mr. Goodrich asked where the trees were going to be planted. Mr. Ellis stated they would be planted in the new developments. Mr. McKinley asked if there was going to be any particular species. Mr. Ellis stated there would be a variety.
Mr. Drobina stated the city has been cutting down trees that were in conflict with South Central Power’s alignment relocation at the Diley project. Mr. McKinley asked if they were doing underground power lines at the Diley project. Mr. Drobina stated they were not.
5. SCHEDULED MATTERS.
A. Tree Preservation Update
Mr. Malone stated that there is nothing new going on right now.
B. Tree Data Base
Mr. Goodrich stated that he was able to add records to it. Mr. Goodrich stated the purpose of the tree database is to start allowing the city to account for the trees that we have. Mr. Goodrich stated that the Emerald Ash Borer is coming this way and we need to account for the expense to the city when we have to pull all the Ash trees out and replace them. Mr. Goodrich stated that the count for Ash trees is quite large and we may have to start replacing them within the next few years. Mr. Goodrich stated the database is about half way finished. Ms. Carter asked if he would need any assistance with finishing the database. Mr. Goodrich stated that he didn’t need any assistance at this time.
C. Arboretum.
Mr. McKinley asked if there had been any more vandalism. Mr. Ellis stated not that he is aware of.
D. Arbor Day
Mr. Malone stated that the extra publicity was very nice. Mr. Drobina stated that he was asked whether Arbor Day could possibly be held on another day other than Friday night. Mr. Drobina stated if it was held during the day some of the school kids could come over. Mr. Malone stated that during the first few years of the Tree Commission they went to some of the classrooms and were invited to talk to the students. Mr. Malone stated that other than the elementary schools there really wasn’t much interest within the school system. Mr. Malone stated that the Arbor Day celebration scheduled during school hours would need to be worked on fairly well ahead of time to make something like that work.
Mr. McKinley asked if the plaque had been put up for Margie Milnor. Mr. Drobina stated it has been ordered but hasn’t come in yet.
E. Emerald Ash Borer
Mr. McKinley commented on the handouts from the ODNR’s Division of Forestry. Mr. Malone stated that they were trying to get the word out about the Emerald Ash Borer by setting a special week and having a proclamation made about it. Mr. McKinley asked how we would go about getting the proclamation made and signed by the Mayor. Mr. Drobina stated he would get with the Mayor’s court clerk and talk with her about it. Mr. McKinley asked if City Council has been approached yet about the Ordinance. Mr. Drobina stated that he made the Service Committee aware that we would be working on the Ordinance but that we don’t have anything at this time. Mr. McKinley stated we should get started on the Ordinance.
F. Bi-Monthly Meetings
Mr. McKinley stated that the Commission had talked about this issue last month and tabled it until this month. Mr. Malone stated instead of regularly scheduled bi-monthly meetings we might look at times of the year that there isn’t much going on and decide to skip the next month or two of meetings. Mr. McKinley stated he agreed. Mr. Goodrich stated he agrees with Mr. Malone and fall and early winter is usually our light time. Mr. McKinley stated that we would not go to bi-monthly meetings but will skip a month if there is nothing going on.
Mr. McKinley asked if we had heard anything from Mr. Myers regarding the letter boxing down at the Arboretum? Mr. Drobina stated that he called and gave him permission to go ahead and do it but hasn’t heard anything back from him.
Ms. Carter asked if there was anyone scheduled to do planting around the bridge? Mr. Drobina stated that he hasn’t scheduled anyone to do that but will call and get a price to have that done.
Ms. Shelts asked who is responsible for writing the Ordinance on the Emerald Ash Borer. Mr. Drobina stated that the attorneys for the city write it. Ms. Shelts asked what the procedure is? Mr. Drobina stated after the attorneys write something up, it will come to the Tree Commission for approval, then it will go to the Service Committee. The Service Committee will vote it out of Service Committee and on to Council. Mr. Drobina stated it would then go through the council process, which will be 3 readings and 30 thirty days before it becomes effective.
7. OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Malone stated that he should have mentioned in Tree Preservation Update that they did have their walk through on the property by the High School. Mr. Malone stated it is a very nice property. The layout is such that many of the larger trees will be preserved as well as those by the stream. The developer will realign the buildings to further protect some of the trees. Mr. Malone stated the developer is doing a pretty good job of protecting them.
Mr. McKinley asked if we have ever done a count on Arboretum pedestrian traffic through the Arboretum and is that something we should look into doing? Mr. McKinley stated that Parks usually count how many people go in the parks just for usage sake. Mr. Malone stated he is not sure how to structure something like that. Mr. Kinley asked how the Parks Department tracks their usage. Mr. Drobina stated that he does not know how the Parks Dept. track their usage but will ask Steve Carr.
Mr. McKinley stated he learned we send out the tree brochure to nurseries during the spring and summer planting seasons and wondered if we still do that? Mr. Drobina stated that they haven’t been done yet this year but he has brochures that can be taken to them. Mr. McKinley asked if the brochure should be updated. Mr. McKinley stated on the list for Not Recommended trees the Ash tree is not listed.
Ms. Carter asked if anyone had seen the article on the American Chestnut. Ms. Carter stated they are doing a study on it and certain tree cities can get hold of some of those trees to plant in their cities. Ms. Carter continued she would like to track that and get some of those trees for our area. Mr. McKinley asked if there is a contact person to call. Ms. Carter stated the writer of the article told her he would e-mail her to let her know who she needs to contact. Mr. Malone explained the history of the American Chestnut tree to the high school students.
8. ADJOURNMENT
Their being nothing further, Ms. Carter moved to adjourn, Mr. Malone seconded the motion. Mr. Goodrich, Mr. Malone, Ms. Carter, Mr. McKinley and Ms. Shelts voted “Aye.” Motion carried, 5-0. The Tree Commission adjourned at 6:29 P.M. on May 9, 2007.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
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Diana Fuller, Administrative Assistant
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Ed Drobina, Service Manager