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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-06-13-TREE-min TOWN OF LEXINGTON TREE COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING OF JUNE 13, 2002 Present at the meeting were Chairman Frey, Mazerall, Walker, Pinsonneault, and Longeteig. It was noted that four members make a quorum. Members Solomon and Griscom were out of town, Wood was temporarily disabled following an accident, and ad-hoc member Krieger had a conflicting meeting. The meeting followed the agenda, distributed beforehand, and was called to order at 07:45. th 1. Minutes of meeting of May 9 approved. 2. Dave Pinsonneault reported that Matthew Foti’s firm was low bidder on the next round of tree planting, and has won the contract. Foti will plant some trees in the next two weeks, possibly waiting until fall for the rest. There is $24,000 left in tree planting account, which will be spent in its entirety. Pinsonneault also gave committee a list of new trees recently planted, which the committee reviewed. Other Miscellaneous Tree Notes: Nell Walker reported that 300 mature trees will be taken down in flight path of Hanscom airfield. The only way Lexington Tree By-Law rules could govern any of these trees would be if they were located in public right-of-way. Pinsonneault noted that the PWD had provided the labor for planting the Arbor Day elm tree in Hastings Park; the Lexington Field & Garden Club bought the tree. The PWD also planted some privately donated trees in Westview Cemetery, and transplanted a yellowwood and a dogwood from in front of Cary Library (which is undergoing renovations) to Westview. The new trees planted in the renovated Depot Square look very good, committee members agreed. There should be an article in the Minuteman to publicize them. Walker and Karen Longeteig agreed to contact the designer, Ginna Johnson, and prepare an article. Paul Mazerall commented on the good qualities of the American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) and asked if it was being planted; Pinsonneault said he was specifying it for future contracts. Walker noted they are growing wild/natively in the Meagherville section of town. 3. Pinsonneault presented a 3-page list of the tree by-law calls he had received; it was reviewed. 4. Mass Re-Leaf Grant – John Frey, Jim Wood and Dave Pinsonneault have presented the application for the grant, covering plantings in front of the School Administration Building and on Belfry Hill. Frey thinks we will probably get something, but will know only in late June. It would be for fall planting. In addition, NSTAR (electric company) will give us $1500 in July for tree planting in a goodwill gesture. It was noted that while NSTAR and the cable companies prune the trees under the cables, the Town is responsible for the “other” side of the street and around streetlights. 5. Frey displayed the company presentation/brochure from Davey Tree in Ohio, for completing and managing the Tree Inventory. Pinsonneault will have this material copied for each member of the committee to study. Davey Tree’s price came out to @ $1.60 to $5.00 per tree. ARCT's prices ranged from $3.00 to $5.00, Karen Doherty of Trees New England quoted $4.00 to $5.00 and David Hawkins of Urban Forestry Solutions said $2.50 to $10.00. The cost of Lexington’s inventory could be around $30,000, and will have to go out to bid. It was felt that we should begin making our case now, for next year’s budget. Another inventory was completed by Lexington High School freshmen, under guidance from Walker and others. They inventoried the invasive species on and around school grounds, and prepared a map and a brochure on identification and eradication. Walker will provide the committee with a copy of the brochure that we may wish to have duplicated in large numbers. 6. The PWD could accept trees from private property if they were delivered to 201 Bedford St., but it cannot remove them. It would be preferable to have some basic specs on height and species before delivery. The proposal to plant a town nursery on Hartwell Avenue was dubious as there is no source of water there now. 7. Tree Manual. Walker has revised the version of 6/5/01; Frey will review that, and get it copied for each committee member. Both want to do some more editing before the committee can study it and vote on adoption. Walker stated that the Manual, while based on the City of Newton’s manual, differs in the tree planting specifications. The best source for this is a book by Watson and Himelick named Principles & Practices of Planting Trees and Shrubs, published 1997. It is hard to locate, even in libraries, but Longeteig volunteered to try to find a copy to buy. 8. Memorial Tree Program – it was the sense of the committee that the “headstone” type plaque would not be desirable. Longeteig will ask Arnold Arboretum about their preferred method of tagging/labeling. Next steps would be to approve the draft, take it to the Selectmen for approval, as this would be a town program, and ask for funding for publicity and start-up costs. 9. Meeting was adjourned at 09:15. NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2002, 7:30 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Karen Longeteig Secretary for the Meeting