HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-06-10-TREE-min
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
would work for us. He went on to describe IPAC a being easier to use in the field both by volunteers and his staff
down the line, having maintenance features that could be developed, a work order that he could program and drop
down menus with many selections including common names of trees. He also supported getting into a relationship
with the Community Forest Partnership, to become part of a larger organization, which is working on the same goals
as we are.
e. Memorandum of understanding from Community Forest Partnership: The Community Forest Partnership will
provide: 1.) unlimited access to the data. 2.) Lexington’s’ ability to manipulate the data. 3.) Lexington must be able to
purchase 6 units of software at $50.00 per unit. 4.) Lexington will need to be able to use the Community Forest
Partnership as resource for software development, training, and software maintenance process. In exchange for this
service the Town of Lexington will pay the Community Forest Partnership $1,500 out of the current grant. Anne
reported on a conversation with Norm Cohen ex Town council who said he thought that a ‘contract’ or memorandum
of understanding was needed and agreed to write up an agreement between the Town and the Community Forest
Partnership, after suggesting that it be discussed with Connie Rawson, Town MIS Director for particulars, since she is
such an expert in MIS matters. Anne will follow up on this with Connie Rawson.
f. Letter of Intent. We will need a letter of intent from Sherri Brokopp. Anne will call Sherri and negotiate this as
well as the details of the memorandum of understanding.
g. Volunteers equipment. We decided to equip each of 6 teams with an IPAC, diameter tapes, a copy of Allen
Coombes Trees, Smithsonian Handbooks, Dorling Kindersly Book, 2002 and a clinometer. Dave and Jim will
determine the clinometers.
h. Project Manager. Karen Longeteig reported that she received permission to have the first year of the Street Tree
Inventory count as her independent project course at the Landscape Institute of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard
University. She can devote 10 to 15 hours a week as project manager to the project. Her offer was accepted.
6.Letter of thanks. We acknowledge a letter of thanks from Mary Ann Wordell and members of the Fall River Street
Tree Planning Program for the Tree Management Manual, which we sent them.
Next meeting July 8, 2004
Respectfully submitted, Anne Senning