HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-02-12-TREE-min
Minutes Lexington Tree Committee February 12, 2009
Present: John Frey, Chairman, Jewel Kuljian, Anne Senning, Karen Longeteig, Jeanne
Krieger, Selectman Liaison, Susan Solomon emerita, Nell Walker, Gerry Paul, James Wood.
Absent: David Pinsonneault, Superintendent Public Grounds
1. Gerry Paul was appointed as scribe. The minutes of the Jan. 15, 2009 meeting were approved.
2. Tree Warden Agenda Items:
a. Tree removal applications and activity - will be updated next month.
b. Tree Nursery - A pre-planting day is planned for Saturday April 11 starting at 9:00 am. The tree
planting will take place on May 2 at 9:00 am.
c. Spring Street Sidewalk - Negotiations with neighbors are still going on. John will attend Tree hearing.
There will be at least one objection so the issue will come before the Selectmen.
d. Article 7 - The $14,000 is still in the planned town budget.
e. Tree Inventory - Dave Hattis will be working on the inventory in March and Blaize Denfeld will be
working in May and June.
f. Belfry Hill - materials for replanting have been selected.
g. Arbor Day tree location - no update.
h. Buckman Tavern Walnut - Jewel will follow up with Dave P. to inspect the Walnut tree and report back
to the Committee.
i. Tree Manual - a meeting is planned to continue work on the Tree Manual.
j. Battle Green Master Plan - this plan will take about 2 years to complete. The issue of commemorative
tree planting on the Battle Green will not be decided until then.
k. Merriam Street Sourwoods - Jewel updated us on damage to these six small trees from sidewalk
plowing. Jewel will follow up with Dave P. to determine how to protect the trees.
l. Emery Park - Jewel will follow up with Dave P. on a Lexington Field & Garden Club plan to plant an
ornamental tree in the park.
3. Dorinda Goodman, the new MIS coordinator, was introduced to the Committee. Anne will meet with
her before our next meeting to review the current inventory process. Anne presented a graphical analysis
of the 2004 - 2008 tree inventory pointing out significant statistical features. The data covers 5 years of
inventory and 40% of the town's public trees. Thanks go to her son for assisting with data analysis.
4. Friends of Trees - Our next meeting is Feb. 26.
5. Soliciting donations in tax/water bill mailings - Jeanne will look into what permissions we need to do
this.
6. Web site - Karen provided an update. The webmaster, Candy, will add pictures of the street tree
planting to the site. A subcommittee of Karen, Anne, John and Jim will meet on Feb 20 at 10:30 am at
Karen's house to review improvements to the site.
7. The idea of donations of trees in lieu of gifts at holiday time/graduations etc was raised. This will be
raised at the next Friends of Trees meeting.
8. Nell is working with the CLC (Keith Ohmart, etc) on potential zoning requirements for planting of native
species.
9. Commemorative Trees - Jim will get a monthly report on the balance in the revolving fund and will
propose an amount to be held in escrow for tree maintainance (and/or replanting if necessary).
10. Tree planting requirements for parking lots - John and Karen will review the current regulations and
determine whether they are sufficient.