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HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-18-2017 Minutes Tree Board Regular MeetingPage 1 of 3 MINUTES Hillsborough Tree Board Wednesday, January 18, 2017 9:00 AM, Town Barn 101 East Orange Street Present: Chairman Andrea Lewis, George Campbell, Dana Dannehower, Bryan Stuart, Liz Waters, Ex Officio – Karen MacAulay Absent: Vice Chairman Frances Harris, Ex Officio – Greg Yavelak Staff: Stephanie Trueblood Item # 1: Call meeting to order, roll call, and confirm presence of a quorum Chairman Lewis called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Ms. Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. Item 2: Consideration of changes or adjustments to the agenda There were none. Item 3: Approval of minutes from November 16, 2016 Motion: Chairman Lewis moved to approve the minutes as presented. Second: Ms. Waters seconded. Vote: Unanimous Item 4: Review FY17 Mid-Year Expense Report Ms. Trueblood explained that it would be wrong to assume that the budget should be half spent by now. Many expenses are held off until the spring. Although the public information budget indicates there is $900 remaining, this board has spent $510 on the signs but has not paid for them yet. Item 5: Review FY18 DRAFT Budget Highlights Ms. Trueblood reviewed the budget process. This board will ask for $10,000 for tree maintenance, $5,200 for new trees and $1,000 for public information. These are the same amounts of money this board has requested for several years. There is a separate budget for Cates Creek planting that includes removing the rock at Cates Creek Park and putting in a linear raingarden with pollinator plants. Also, when the downtown and CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality—includes parking area across from Hillsborough BBQ, five sidewalk segments) infrastructure is complete, then there will be plantings in those areas and in the large planters downtown. Page 2 of 3 Ms. Trueblood reminded the board that we’ve become a Bee City USA, that her new planning area has taken over the contracts for grounds maintenance and that this board has worked on signage for trees on Riverwalk as some of the highlights from the past year. Next budget year, Ms. Trueblood is hoping to focus on realigning these budgets under Public Space, making strategic connections, hiring a parks maintenance technician and improving parking at Kings Highway Park. Item 6: Interview Tim Logue for Tree Board vacancy Ms. Trueblood reviewed that the board has a vacancy and reviewed that there are several second terms coming to end in 2018. Ms. Dannehower’s first term ends in 2017. Mr. Logue said he has worked at the Chapel Hill Public Library for 18 years. He has lived in Hillsborough since 2003. He’s a gardener. He would like to contribute to the town by serving on this board. He has experience of asking for advice from the forest service. He has come to realize that trees are such an important host to insects. Item 7: Interview Casey Collins for Tree Board vacancy Ms. Collins said she has lived in Hillsborough for a year. She is an independent landscape designer and she works at Montrose several days a week. She was drawn to Hillsborough by the attention the town pays to its landscapes. Ms. Dannehower asked if she could resign and become an Ex Officio member now to make room on the board for both candidates. Motion: Mr. Campbell made a motion to accept Ms. Dannehower’s resignation as a voting member and appoint her as an Ex Officio member. Second: Mr. Stuart seconded. Vote: Unanimous Motion: Ms. Waters moved to recommend to Town Board the appointment of Tim Logue and Casey Collins to fill two Tree Board vacancies. Second: Ms. Campbell seconded. Vote: Unanimous Item 8: Updates/Ongoing Business:  Garden Club update: Andrea Lewis Chairman Lewis reported the Garden Club planted bulbs behind the restaurants. The Garden Club has $500 set aside for the Bee City designation (education or whatever is needed). There is an upcoming program on pollinator plants.  Staff Updates: Plantings on N. Wake Street, Calvin Street Plantings, Bee City Calvin Street plantings went well. Ms. Trueblood asked for direction on plantings on N. Wake Street. Ken Ostrand paid for oaks and this board had decided it wasn’t a good place for oaks. The board was agreeable to plantings Page 3 of 3 oaks in a better location on his property because the town finance department cannot return the money. Ms. Trueblood said this board’s chair or vice chair needs to attend the Citizens Academy on March 15. Chairman Lewis said she’d attend. Orange County Beekeepers Association is interested in partnering with the town on promoting the Bee City status. Ms. Trueblood would like to talk about Bee City ideas and outreach at the February meeting. In March, the board will talk about a spring treasure tree. Mr. Stuart said he had an update from Ken Ostrand that the Cedar Lane trees have been confirmed to date to around 1818 to 1822. Mr. Ostrand and Phil Ray are looking for two Red Cedars to plant along the row. They are working with the two property owners. Item 9: Adjourn Chairman Lewis adjourned the meeting at 10:35 a.m.