2017-01-05 Tree Board MinutesEDMONDS CITIZENS' TREE BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
January 5, 2017
Board members present: Steve Hatzenbeler, Chair; Vivian Olson; Bill Phipps;
Barbara Chase; Doug Petersen ; Albert (Jed) Marshall.
Staff present: Debra Dill; senior horticulturist, City Flower Program
Elected official present: Diane Buckshnis, Edmonds City Council
Visitors present: Frank Caruso
CALL TO ORDER: A quorum was reached and the meeting was called to order by
Steve Hatzenbeler.
ROLL CALL: All present introduced them selves.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: The agenda was modified and approved.
APPROVAL OF Meeting Minutes, December 1, 2016: The meeting minutes were
corrected and approved.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS: Frank Caruso introduced himself as a cranberry and plant
disease expert. He's a big Patriots fan ... (oh well). Welcome to the Edmonds
community Frank!
OLD BUSINESS: Steve, Doug and Bill informally met with members of the Mayors
Climate Protection Committee on 12/21/2016 . We discussed working jointly in
the future on compatible projects. We want to "market our product" better to
the public on the many benefits of trees including slowing down climate change.
We then discussed which projects the Tree Board will work on in 2017. We
decided on four projects. We will sponsor an Earth Day event in conjunction with
the Parks Department: removing ivy in Hutt Park in April. We will hang
informational tree tags in downtown in May; this is something the Tree Board has
done in the past with success. We will set up a booth at the Summer Market, as
we did last year, in August. In October we will sponsor another tree planting
event celebrating Arbor Day. We will remain flexible and consider working on
other projects as they present themselves.
NEW BUSINESS: It has come time to choose a new chair for the tree board. After
some arm twisting, Doug and Steve were voted in as co-chairs and Vivian was
voted is as the vice chair. Congratulations! Thank you Doug, Steve and Vivian!
The Urban Forestry Management Plan development is moving forward. The
city has selected the consultant, Davy Tree Resource Group, to work with the city
on the UFMP. The tree board hopes to be involved in the process and anticipates
working with Keeley O'Connell of Nature Insight Consulting, who is part of the
Davy Tree Resources Group team.
We need to begin an outline for the tree board presentation to the City
Council. Steve suggested a three prong approach: a recap of 2016 events, our
current plans for 2017 and our hopes/wishes for the long term preservation of
Edmonds' tree canopy. We will suggest March 14, 2017 to the Council for our
presentation.
TREE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS: Diane shared information from the Mayors
Climate Protection Committee meeting about a program called Bigfoot. Bigfoot is
a community effort, started in Pt. Townsend, which educates people on their
"carbon footprint" and, through friendly competition, lower their energy usage.
Diane hopes the Tree Board folks will be involved. Diane also wants to dress up in
a Sasquatch/Big Foot costume when it comes time to hand out awards.
ADJOURNMENT;
With no further business, and after a long and grueling meeting, the esteemed
Edmonds City Tree Board adjourned for the evening.
Next Tree Board meeting : February 2, 2017.
Minutes submitted by Bill Phipps.