You want me to start recording, right? >> Yeah. >> Yes, ma'am. >> It's going to be a very short meeting. >> That's good. I want to plant another tree on the riverfront this year. Another ball sizes and why don't you
come do can you do a consation or if I >> I suppose I can Okay then >> well you just said you just said so call the meeting to order Earl
>> uh call the meeting to order call Earl Wallace >> here. >> President of Okay. Um Keith Valentine, he said he is getting knee surgery. >> Yeah, he's he's >> so he is not going to be here. Carolyn
Smith, Roger Sandozer Junior and Commissioner Jones, Julio Perez. Okay, so we lack quorum. Lucky for us, there was nothing on the
agenda that required action. However, for purposes of maintaining our three city USA status with the city of Palaca, we are convening this meeting to
maintain that status. Um, and I had attached a Arbor Day foundation canopy report for 2025 that uh summarizes
the importance of trees. How life is better with trees. Um, 73% of Americans wish their neighborhood had more trees. Fewer than one in five Americans report
having planted a tree last year. 40% say they would plant if they knew more about planting. >> What we do need to do at this meeting is um establish the Arbor Day
meeting with um St. John or St. John's River State College. Mhm. >> What was the date for that? Do you recall? >> I think it's the 17th. >> Uh, it's Florida Arbor Day is when we always do it. >> Okay. >> I think that's the 17th this year. It's
the third Friday. >> Third Friday of February or March. >> Uh, January. >> January. >> It'll be the 26th. >> All right. >> Yeah. I don't have my phone with me to look at the date. >> Say that again. >> I don't have my phone with me to look at
the date. Um, okay. So, the third third Friday in January is January 16th. >> 16th. I said 17. >> Okay. So, we need to coordinate with um
Miss Susan over at the college. >> I think I received an email from her. >> Yes. >> A couple months ago. >> And Amanda Tuckerville, right? choose. Uh, yeah, we could do that. Um,
Susan Sutliff, she's the executive assistant for Joe Pickkins, and we had talked about uh where we were going to put the tree. She has some ideas. What species shall we plant this
year? >> I like oaks. >> Me, too. and they and they picked a spot that's nice wide open. So, I think that's >> I think a good live oak would be good. >> Okay. So, we're going to go again with the live oak.
And then Mr. Wallace mentioned uh >> you can call me Earl. >> Earl mentioned planning a ball cypress. >> Ball cypress. >> Oh, down by the riverfront. >> Yeah. For the garden club. >> For the garden club. Okay. And when
would you like to do that? same day. >> We do the um >> they do both >> for the last couple of years we've done it and we do the uh college in the morning and we do uh for the garden club in the afternoon. >> Okay. What time? >> Uh I haven't asked but around probably
3:00. >> 3:00 at the riverfront. Bald Cypress. Well, >> we do anytime. Anytime. >> Where do we get the bald cypress tree? Um >> I've got somebody that dedicates this one. >> Okay. or >> Okay, >> that's a word.
>> All right. So, you and I will be in touch to coordinate that. >> Okay. >> And uh I I'll get no cuts to come out. And you know, there's nothing there. They flagged it two years already. And there's But I'll get no cuts to come
out. So, there's no liability left. And I'll uh get someone to dig the hole. And it's so there's so many bricks and stuff down there that they punch a hole in for me with an augur.
>> One now. >> No, this is this is a big one. >> No, I steer. >> I have an augur that's just huge. It's very exciting. >> How many times does it spun year round? >> A couple. >> Yeah. >> As soon as it hits a root. >> Bad roots.
>> Yeah. It's a little scary. Now I get Jeff Rolls which >> Jeff comes down or he sends one of his guys down and uh they do us about depending on the root ball of the tree they do about a 24 inch hole for us you know. >> Okay.
>> And uh Jeff gives us couple of five gallon buckets of composted marijuana plants. So it's a happy treat. So, but uh
>> it's you know it grows good and Ann and I, my wife, we we watered them every other day. Uh they would neither one of them would be alive at North because almost fell in the river. >> So, I quit watering. But we just take a
bucket. I asked the guy at the nursery last year if we had too much salenity up here. >> Uhhuh. >> And he said, "Oh, by no means, you know." >> Okay. So we take a five gallallon mud bucket with a rope on it. Throw it in there. >> Oh, okay. >> Put about three buckets on each of them
about every other day. >> Still to this day? >> Yeah. >> Oh, jeez. >> Well, you if you notice the new one, it I missed two days uh back in the summer when we were having all that heat. Yeah, >> that was before I fell in almost fell in
and uh it it turned brown. I mean complete in just a day time. >> Did we lose it or you >> No, it's good. Robert, >> uh you scratched the for the cambian the green underneath
>> with your fingernail and it's there and it's actually put on a few new sprouts over the months. >> That's great. And our old one, which was doing wonder, uh, it lost all Well, it turned brown, but it's the time of year, you know,
>> they're supposed to. >> Yeah. In the spring, they'll both come out really, really, really nice. >> Nice. Okay. Um, well, that's great. So we can let the commissioners know and we'll also let our public information officer if he could make you
>> make a note to yourself to let our PIO know so we can have the commissioners attend >> the uh >> public information officer and then um I have some really wonderful news to share. The CRA on Monday night
um approved of a streetscaping along Oak and Laurel from Second Street to Knight Street to plant 65 Dune Holls and 40 live oaks depending on whether or not
it's under a utility line. >> And that's going to start real soon. >> That that would be nice. And uh do we have have you I surveyed the whole downtown before? I >> you have a tree survey of downtown.
>> Y'all got it. It's on cab. Not not a tree survey, but every every tree. I think I located all the trees. Every tree. Uh it's I went up to the face of every building
all through downtown. >> Well, that's cool. >> Yeah. Well, this >> it was for all of that and the park. When we developed the park, I did all of that. >> Well, this will be beautiful. Um, >> it it will be, >> but do you know if there's any power lines involved there? Well, we're going
to um contact Yeah, I we're we're the power lines are up top um the utility lines and so we're staying away from those and because Florida Power and Light does not have
the right just a blanket right to butcher trees anywhere. It's got to be the trees that were in existence when our fathers did what they did, you know, because
if you look at my office down there, which is pitiful now because I haven't been in it in five years, but they actually go around my block for power and like >> you scared them off, huh? >> I I told them they were my trees,
>> you know. Don't cut my trees. And they actually come across the face of the body shop and they had to put a guy pole in over on our corner because the way the lines run, they would line on the poles going north
would they would have to put a pole out in the middle of the road. So they asked me if they could put a guy pole by and I said, "As long as you keep it on city property." I said, "I can't tell you what they're doing." I do. They said, "Well, we're gonna have to cut that palm tree there." I said, "Remember my
trees?" And that was my tree and it was there long before they decided. So they they came to the they put the guy pole in. >> Yeah. >> They turned north one block down by the corner of Bread Light. They turned back
west went one block and they came. It's bad to laugh about it, but they came in there and they basically told me they were going to cut we got to cut your trees, you know. >> Not my trees.
>> Yeah. Well, I I think it's going to be >> Was that recorded? >> Yes, sir. >> Oh, God. >> Okay. um down, but I had I had a meeting >> activities usually go with with whatever
that a school wants to do. And what time >> we we usually plan it. Joe Joe makes a >> Yeah. >> gives a talk. >> Yeah. >> Uh one of the gu the garden club president usually gives a talk >> which club president
>> Jim Nelson or usually Palmer does it because Palmer he's Got to walk in out there and just >> Jim Nelson is the garden club president. Jim Nelson, >> that's Nicole's dad.
I'm vice president. Would you ever believe? But uh so they they give talks and then we um >> I was there last year over there but um for Aubra Day. >> Yeah,
>> I was there last year for a day. >> You were? Yes, I were. >> Okay. So we've done it every year that I've been a part of it the same way. Used to be we met outside of the um the Viking Center. >> Yes. >> But that that stopped years ago because
>> it's inside. Now we have it's like a press event inside and then we we do go out the hole is creed up >> and our forester which >> Julio >> no >> no >> it's the forest state forester >> he does a game where you can win trees
>> yeah what's his name again that's on here >> is he still think >> or did he have to step down he's not on here >> which one you think is Um,
>> but he he would still come do it. >> Oh, he would? That was fun. I want a blueberry bush. >> I want a devil's walk stick and a French >> like 8 in the morning. >> Okay.
You ever seen a fringe tree blue? It looks like it's got white instead of flower flowers. The flowers >> they look like white hair tangled in pot. Pull one up on on usually
>> Google. >> That's pretty. So what time does it usually start there? A big >> It starts 10. I think it's >> kind of at the school, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's pretty. >> It is. >> And then three downtown. I just emailed Susan to find just confirm the date and
time. >> Okay. Um I appreciate that. >> Okay. So what else do you think um the college is going to take care of the activities then or who what should we do? >> Ask.
>> Right. Yeah. >> But I think we usually do. >> Okay. >> I think I think they take care of getting Joe there. But that's about it, you know. >> All right. >> And and giving us a place and they prepare the college maintenance prepares the hole and everything.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, that will be nice. And who prepares the hole down here? Jeff RS is >> I get Jeff Rolls. >> Jeff, >> but don't put Jeff Rolls down. >> I haven't asked him if he's gonna do it
yet. Okay, sounds good. >> And I'll get back to you and let you know if uh the garden club board nicks me told me we don't plant one this year, but I don't think they will. >> Okay.
>> All right. Well, I think that's it. Motion to adjurnn. >> You don't even have a second. So you can't make a motion. Just going to have to walk away.