2020-08-13-TREE-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes of Lexington Tree Committee Meeting August 13, 2020 7:30 am Virtual Meeting per Governer Baker's Order Attending: Gerry Paul (chair), Chris Filadoro (Tree Warden), Jim Woods, Pat Moyer, Mark Connor, Gloria Bloom, Mark Sandeen (Select Board Liaison), Nancy Sofen, Guests: Marty Kvaal (prospective member), Charlie Wyman, Rick Reibstein, Marcia Gens (Sustainable Lexington). 1. Nancy Sofen was appointed as scribe. Minutes of the committee's June 10 and July 9 meetings were approved with a correction to the July 9 minutes: Dave Pinsonneault's comments about Fall 2019 planting (item 3) should read Grove Street rather than Grant Street. 2. Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 planting lists are attached (Addendum 1). Only a few replacement trees were planted this spring. Chris Filadoro explained that non-native Zelkova was purchased after back and forth with Schichtel's when other species were not available. They will avoid planting trees that are not on the Tree Committee's recommended planting list in the future. 3. Fall 2020 planting order bid will go out next week. 4. Tree bylaw removal activity is attached (Addendum 2). 5. Bid documents to finish the Tree Inventory go out in a week. This will cover the final 3-4 precincts, and then as much as the bikeway as possible. The distance from the bikeway covered still needs to be determined. How much gets done depends on the number of trees, as funding is fixed and the contractor charges a per-tree cost. The inventory covers streets only; no parks, schools or conservation areas at this time. The town is waiting until it is all done before integrating the data with town GIS. 6. Chris gave David Williams contact information for someone in the finance office, to facilitate the transfer of previously approved funds from the Tree Fund to the Granite Forest Fund. He does not know whether they have connected. 7. One tree was saved and many new ones planted at the new track. Newly planted trees are maintained and warrantied by the contractor for one year, then the DPW takes over. The planting beds and lawn areas are heavily irrigated. 8. Cotting School has paid $16,800 to the Tree Fund for removal of the oak at 497 Concord Ave. Chris offered abutters the opportunity to ask for trees. Trees planted from this money will be added to the fall and spring planting numbers. It typically costs $500-600 per tree to purchase and plant. Chris is considering combining the fall 2020 and spring 2021 contracts to get a lower per-tree price. 9. The state has not yet announced MVP grant recipients (Tree Canopy Assessment). 10. Chris reports that the Department of Public Facilities is putting solar canopies in municipal parking lots, including 7 schools: Lexington Children's Place, Harrington,