2004-06-10-TREE-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lexington Tree Committee Minutes June 10, 2004 Town Office Building: Room 111 Present: John Frey, Chairman, Karen Longeteig, Dave Pinsonneault, DPW Staff, Jim Wood, Nell Walker, Anne Senning Missing: Jim Jones, Susan Solomon, Jeanne Krieger, Selectman Liaison 1. Minutes on May 13, 2004 meeting were approved with the following corrections: #2 Under “Some Questions” Add “Contractual relationship between the Town of Lexington and the private non profit, Community Forest Partnership.” The Director of the Community Forest Partnership spells her name Sherri Brokopp. 2. Change in committee secretarial position. John Frey announced that Susan Solomon requested to resign as secretary of the committee after over a year of serving in a dedicated manner in that position. He suggested that we rotate that job monthly as many other committees do. This suggestion was adopted. Anne Senning began the rotation today. 3. Forestry Division Report: 10/1/03 through present: 187 calls, 90 resolved, 254 trees approved for removal, 555 to be replanted. 1/04 through 5/04: 61 removed, 32 pruned, 17 planted, 2 treated (sprayed) 4. Belfry Hill. Trees were planted as planned according to A ReLeaf grant plan. Subsequently other unknown parties moved a tree. The Forestry division will monitor the health of the tree. 5. Tree Inventory Grant Application (Due Jun 30, 2004). a. Status of Letters of Support: The Lexington Field and Garden Club has submitted a letter of support. The Bicycle Advisory Committee meets tonight. John and Nell plan to go and request letters from this committee. Letters to be secured: Center Committee; Jerome Smith and Shelia Robson (John Frey), CLC, Eileen Entin, (John Frey). Nell reported that Bart de Wolfe would help out later as the project got under way and that Fran Ludwig supports the project in spirit but thinks that elementary children are too young to be engaged as volunteers. Nell will contact Steve Wilkins, who works with high school volunteers . b. Map Streets and Parks to be included in Phase one of Public Street Tree Inventory: Dave proposed and committee discussed streets and parks to be included in Phase One of the Street Tree Inventory. The general focus is two main entrances into town and the center around the public buildings. We discussed the difference between the Right of Way, which the Town Forestry Department has responsibility for maintaining, and the set back, which the Town is not responsible for maintaining. The Tree Committee will be doing an inventory of trees, which fall in the Right of Way. We discussed the fact that the Town Forestry Department does not maintain trees along state roads although there are state roads that fall within the Town of Lexington. The Committee Made a decision to include in the Inventory trees that are on state roads. This will both identify the entire canopy of trees in Lexington and if problem trees are identified they can be referred to the proper agency for care. Streets included in Phase One of the Street Tree Inventory are: Massachusetts Avenue from the Bedford line to the Arlington line. Bedford St, from the Bedford line to Mass Ave, Harrington Road, Forest St, Clarke St from Mass Ave to Forest St, Waltham St from Mass Ave to Forest St, Muzzey St from Mass Ave to Forest St, Raymond St, Belfry Terrace, Grant St to the Bikepath, Edison Way, Battle Green, Emory Park, Fletcher Ave from Mass Ave to the Bikepath, Town Offices. If the Street Tree Inventory is completed ahead of schedule additional roads can be added. The initial focus is felt to be street trees, although the parks, cemeteries and the Bikepath can be added at a later date. c. Schedule: A six month window when leaves are one the trees. If we receive the grant this August or September, we may get some work done this fall. The work needs to be done when the leaves are on the trees for maximum recognition. d. IPAC vs. MCTI: Dave spoke about his evaluation of both computer systems from a practical forestry management perspective. He described MCTI as having many professional forestry maintenance features and felt it