Welcome everybody. I'd like to call to order the tree commission for Thursday, March 5th, 2026. First item on the agenda is roll call. Um we'll go around and just introduce ourselves. Joe, you want to start us off? >> Joe Saleam, city engineer >> leaking off. Uh, Commissioner Jordi
Vite, Commissioner Miriam Waldner, Commissioner >> Joey Schugle, Park and Recreation Director for the City of New. Right. Thank you and welcome everybody. Um, next item on the agenda then is the approval of our agenda. Um,
be looking for a motion and second. >> Second. >> A motion. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion and second to approve our agenda. Any other questions or discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Approve. Motion carries.
Um, next item on the agenda then is the approval of minutes. Um, and we did not have a January meeting, so it's looking for the minutes for November 6. Um, anybody have any questions or changes? >> No. And I make a [snorts] motion to
approve the minutes from the November 6th meeting. >> Second. Have a motion and second to approve the minutes from the November 6th, 2025 meeting. Any other questions or discussion? Right. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Oppos. Motion carries.
All right. First item under old business is our city reimbursement program and budget updates. Um Jill, whenever you're ready. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair, commission members. Um [clears throat] the 2026 budget was uh budget sheet was
included within your agenda packets today. Um the city council did approve the carryover for those unused diseal um that 75,000 that was left in the budget from last year. So right now we are looking at a budget amount available
to us of $89,000 um just just over $89,000 but the bulk of bulk of that is earmarked for uh disease tree removal. Okay, thank you. Any questions or no? All right. Um then we will move on
to report um park and recck department. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Commissioners, uh a few items to to update you on. Um first off, there's roughly about 30 ash trees left in on city park property. Uh so that's greatly um reduced from where
we started. uh that was due to both contracted removals and our department staff also having uh wherewithal to remove some of those some of those disease trees as well. Uh our goal is to um
over the next 1 to two years um hopefully have that number down to only treated. We we do have a few trees that have been treated over the years. If you think about near the German Park amphitheater, we have a couple ash trees that have been treated. um and
potentially looking at North Park um in areas where people uh congregate and use shade for watching ball games and stuff like that. So um but that number is expected to um reduce here over this this summer yet again and then
potentially um in a couple years we may not have any ash trees in parks. So it just depends on how they react to th those treatments, the ones that are being treated. Uh, additionally on that, uh, our crews are are have have done some trimming over the winter, uh,
especially on the on the bike trail and different areas where mowers are impacted. Uh, we'll continue to do that as, uh, weather allows. Uh, it's getting to be a tough time to get in some of the turf areas to do that. Um, but if opportunity presents itself, that will
be continued. Um and then I I I wanted to end the report um with just kind of an update on tree commission and some of the things that city council has talked about. And uh I think all of you are are aware that uh there has been some
discussion of overall city reduction of commissions. There's 13 city commissions currently and looking at are there ways to not lose what those commissions do but also either merge or or find a a a different
avenue to do that uh do that same work that is being done. So um there no decision has been made yet. You know the mayor is is is in charge of city commissions. uh she has asked staff um
recommendations or how this could look um if the tree commission wasn't around. And uh one of the things that I did tell her is um as Mayor Ber uh one of the things I had said is the park and rec
commission could take on the the business of what the tree commission does with um some placeholders for advisory members and you know um none of those details have been pursued. That would have to be a council action item
to to take that. Um but if they would take that route then we'd anticipate inviting those advisory members when there is tree related business to be conducted. So it wouldn't necessarily be every month um but it could be if there
is um is that so um I don't know if it's advisory member members what that could potentially look like but um again no decisions been made. It has been talked about at a work session uh to this point and I I think it would is going to come
back to council at some point, but that's where we're at as of today, which is March 5th. >> Okay. >> So, any questions on any of >> I'd be interested in joining over, you know. Sure. Yeah. >> Great. Yeah. So, and then then if if we
do take that step, then we would have to look at what that process looks like. And then and certainly um one thing that I did want to add in that is I appreciate your commitment to this commission. Um and it is important stuff that we're doing um and we do know that
we're addressing things outside of parks as well on on this commission. So, that would be something um new for the the park and recck commission. >> Sure. So, >> so Joey, then I take it the plan is for the ash trees that are currently
treated. You're just going to continue with that until there's a point where it doesn't make sense or they start not doing well kind of. >> Great question, Mr. Chair. I I think we're looking at um you know, how they're responding each year. You know, every year is a little different. So, um
looking at that and if they are continuing to respond, I mean that that is something that we would plan to continue. >> Yes. >> Okay. Good. Any other questions from any other commissioners? >> All right. Um item 5.3, public works
update. Um anybody? >> Mr. Chair, I do have a couple updates from uh Mr. Huffman and commissioners. Uh so Mr. Huffman uh did just want me, he couldn't be here today, but he did just wanted me to update that his crews were busy trimming over the winter as
normal uh conditions um have allowed them to take care of a good number of of uh what they normally hit over a normal winter. Um in addition to stump grinding, I think last meeting and you saw in the meetings they they only had
about 30 stumps left. Um they are they do still have some stumps left but they have reduced that number as well. I don't have the exact number. Um but that was the the public works report for today. >> Okay. Good. >> All right. Um next then would be our
private tree service update. Um Tony's not here and I guess Joey doesn't have anything. So we'll move on to item 5.5. Um emerald ashbor update. Joe. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair, commission members. our city tree inspector uh Mr. Anderson up in my
office uh did update our EAB numbers. So just sharing that and that was it's was also on the budget reimburse um budget form too. You may have seen that. But we're estimating about 273 uh boulevard ash trees remaining um within the city and approximately 58 ash
trees on city property remain. So we were we submitted that DNR grant. So, uh, unfortunately, we were not, uh, awarded a grant award for the EAB removals, but we will, uh, keep trying. >> Yeah. When the next grant opens up next
year. So, >> Okay. Okay. >> I'm assuming too when you're doing your utility construction, [clears throat] if there's ash in those areas, that's kind of focusing as well. >> Correct. Yep. Yep. Yeah. If there's uh um, well, you'll see it in 2027 on Garden Street between Center and Fifth.
A lot of those trees are in very poor shape. So, that corridor is going to look much different, but we'll get those diseased trees out of out of the roadway corridor there. But, that's standard practice in all uh street and utility reconstructs if we get those bad trees out.
>> Okay, good. Any other questions? All right, we'll move on to item 5.6 then, uh, utility billing information inserts, which is coming up fast. >> Yeah. Uh, Mr. Mr. Chair, commissioners, I I think um with this item, uh I think
some of the decisions made in new business might impact the the insert, but I um usually our the tree advisory commission's time for the uh utility insert is April. Uh so if there are some decisions to move forward with the big tree contest and potentially do the same
thing we did last year as having the disease tree removal program on one side of it as well then um we would just need to make uh some motions under new business to do that and then we would carry that forward in April. >> Okay.
>> Okay. Um with that said then I will move on to new business. Um item 6.1 is the home show. Um we haven't had a meeting, but we typically have done the home show in the past. Um so I guess uh Joy, did you have something you wanted to start us off with?
>> Yeah. So, Mr. Chair, commissioners, um the home health and recreation show is in your approved budget uh to participate in that. Um there there have been a number of years that the tree commission has been represented. There are also has been some years that the
tree commission has not been represented as well. um even with those budgeted dollars in there. Um so the the show is March 27th from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. and March 28th from 9 to 4:00 p.m. If you recall last year um everyone split up
shifts and staffed that and and commissioners have staffed that and obviously you look around the table and there are less commissioners this year. Um, I did talk to our advisory member, Tony Guggisburg, who is also on the planning committee for the home health
and recreation show, and he says there are options to have booths that are not staffed as well or a combination of not staffed. And he he also he did make the comment to me that sometimes those unstaffed booths go over better because
people will grab the information cuz they're not necessarily pressured. that that came from him, not my opinion. So, um so that is something to think about. That's why uh on this item um if the commission does move forward, uh there isn't certainly pressure to cover all
the hours of the home show if there's a desire um or no hours or a hybrid appro approach if >> I won't be here that week be around. So, >> so >> I'll be I [clears throat] I can be around. and I can help set up and tear
down and if we do, you know, a couple hours to staff it, we can do that. So, >> yeah. And I'm sure I can get some time in there Friday and or Saturday as well. I guess it's up to the commission what you want to do.
>> I think we should have a presence there just to promote the uh the the reimbursement program. Again, >> that's a good point, >> you know, because a lot of people still don't know about it and how it works. So, >> and and there are a lot of dollars in the budget, you know, for that program
and um >> that can help greatly reduce our disease trees. >> There's yeah, still a lot of ash trees to work on and boulevards and that. So, >> so if there is a desire, we would we would need a motion for that. And then if that is the case, then staff would go
forward and get us registered for that event. I'll make a motion that we uh participate in the uh home and health and recreation show March 27th and 28th. >> Second. Okay. Have a motion and second to participate in the 2026 home health
and recreation show in March. Any other questions or discussion? >> Right. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Um do we need to before I move on to 6.2, two. Do we need to talk about um
information and that stuff that we want there or you want to >> commissioners if you're if you're comfortable with um a lot of the materials that we've done in the past within reason within budget. Um you do have budgeted dollars for printing costs
as well um in our approved 2026 budget. um that normally what we would do is do the utility insert and also materials for the home show at the same time. Uh since timing lines up and uh
and banners and things like that, uh I can provide it set up, too. So, I'm happy to start to work on some of that if if that's a desire of the commission. >> That would work for us. >> Yep. Yep. Sounds good. All right. Thank you. Um then kind of along that lines,
one of our annual things is the big tree contest. So item 6.2. Um looks like submissions are due by July 31st, 2026. But we also need to decide on a spec species. Yes. Um so in your agenda was the list of previous
species from 2009 to 2025 along with some of the number of submissions. So some of the recents uh from 2025 was GKO. Then we did elm in 2024, river birch in 2023, hickory in 2022, Kentucky
coffee tree in 2021. Um, and then Ohio Buckeye would be 2020, just as a refresher. So, have any ideas on what we want to do this year? Obviously, we're going to be
doing probably repeating something we've done in the past, but >> yeah, I think we will be repeating um we have not done it does not and any anybody can correct me if I'm misreading quickly looking at this, but we have not done like oak, maple, hackberry.
>> I was going to say hackberry. >> Yeah. >> Okay, we can do hackberry. >> Hackberry. Okay. All right. I think so. Um, [clears throat] so then we would be looking for a motion on the species for the big tree contest.
>> Hi. [laughter] >> Back and forth. I'll make a motion that we uh >> pick hackberry for the 2026 uh big tree contest. >> Okay. And you second. All right. So, we have a motion and second for hackberry
to be the tree species for the 2026 big tree contest. That would be a good one. [snorts] >> Any other questions or discussion? >> And normally Mr. Anderson prepares those materials for that uh >> Yep. >> for that contest. So, he would hopefully start working on that so we can >> have those available for print for the
insert and a home show. >> You can email Jeff. You know, I'll be out next week. Yep. You'll be able to take care of it. No problem. >> Needs help or anything, just, you know, feel free to reach out as well. So, yep. Okay. Um, so have a motion and second. Any other questions or discussion? All
right. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Motion carried. Um, continuing on then with new business um would be we 6.3 the tree walk program um which we did last year. Um so I guess
we're looking for some discussion. Is there interest? Joy looks like you have something to say. [laughter] >> Mr. Chair, Commissioner. Well, um I haven't heard recently from the League of Women Voters on this. Um I know they uh they really spearheaded getting this
program started. Um at our last meeting in November, there was some interest in potentially doing that again. Uh but again, it's totally up to this commission on if if able um to to look at a program, but
we don't need to make a decision today. Uh uh as of now we do have a meeting scheduled in May again which could be a nice timeline to implement something if there was interest. So really looking for that today. >> I think maybe we should see if the League of Women Voters are interested in
doing it again. >> You know somebody can get in contact with them and uh see if they want to do it and we can talk about that in May if we have a meeting. >> Yep. >> I think that's a good idea. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yep.
>> No motion or nothing for that. I'll get on that one. >> All right. Um item 6.4 then be commissioner reports. Anybody else have anything else to add?
Nope. All right. Um then the date of our next meeting would be May again. Um I forgot to look at the date. I think Jill's going to look at that. um at 400 p.m. I'll wait for him to grab the date.
>> That would be Thursday, May 7th. >> May 7th. So, next day we're meeting th Thursday, May 7th at 4 p.m. here in the city council chambers. Um otherwise, that is everything for today. So, thank everybody for coming. Um and we are
adjourned.