2018-08-02-TREE-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lexington Tree Committee Town of Lexington, Massachusetts 201 Bedford Street, Samuel Hadley Public Services Building, Room 125 Minutes, Meeting of August 2, 2018 Attendees: Gerry Paul (Acting Chairmen), John Frey, Jim Wood, Pat Moyer, Anne Senning, Nancy Sofen, Dave Pinsonneault, Suzie Barry and Chris Filadoro (Tree Warden) 1. Gerry Paul took his turn as scribe. 2. Dave Pinsonneault and Chris Filadoro provided the following information concerning the Emerald Ash Borer in Lexington • An EAB infected tree was found on private property. • To address the concern of further infestation, the DPW has developed the following plan of action: o Based on the current in-process tree inventory which is 80% complete, there are 375 ash trees in the right-of-way of which 115 are dead. It is not known if any of the dead trees are dead because of EAB. o These trees, and additional Ash trees identified, will be reviewed by DPW staff. If the tree is healthy and deemed worth saving, the tree will be injected with TREE- age insecticide. The treatment is effective for 2 years. Other ash trees will be removed if they present a hazard. Those that do not present a hazard (e.g. in isolated areas in conservation land) will be left. o A drop-off area at the Hartwell recycling site has been set up. Wood dropped off there will be ground down to kill EAB larvae. Private citizens as well as Town staff can drop off infected wood there. o A Town-wide mailing will be sent with brochures explaining EAB. The brochures will also be available at highly frequented locations (e.g. Library, Town Office Building, etc.) • The Forestry Budget will be used for these activities. Because of budget and staffing concerns, the recommendation is to not go forward with the fall 2018 spring planting. Normal planting would resume in the spring of 2019. A one-time budget increase will be proposed for FY 2020 to replace removed Ash trees. • Jim Wood said: o That it was not fair to ask the DPW to absorb the costs out of its operating budget for a special unforeseen need. It should be handled in the same manner as School special situations and Town extraordinary snowplowing are handled -- that an article should be placed before Town Meeting at our October 2018 Town Meeting to fund the Emerald Ash Borer initiative.