HomeMy Public PortalAbout04-21-2021 Minutes Tree Board Regular Meeting
101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278
www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov
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Minutes
Tree Board
Remote regular meeting
9 a.m. April 21, 2021
Virtual meeting via YouTube Live
Town of Hillsborough YouTube channel
Present: Vice Chair Frances Harris, Casey Collins, Tim Logue, Liz Waters and Gregory Yavelak (ex-officio
member)
Absent: Chair Andrea Lewis
Staff: Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood
Guest: Bill Harris and Peter Sandbeck
1. Call to order, roll call and confirmation of quorum
Vice Chair Frances Harris called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood
called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum.
2. Agenda changes and approval
The agenda stood as presented.
3. Minutes review and approval
Minutes from regular meeting on Feb. 17, 2021
Motion: Member Casey Collins moved approval of the minutes as presented. Member Greg Yavelak
seconded.
Vote: 5-0. Ayes: Members Collins, Harris, Logue, Liz Waters and Yavelak. Nays: None.
4. Discussion items
A. Request to remove trees at 427 N. Cameron St.
Property owner Peter Sandbeck requested removal of a sweet gum in the town right of way. He said his
neighbor has requested the removal of the tree because large limbs from it have dropped on his driveway.
Motion: Logue moved to approve the removal of the sweet gum. Waters seconded.
Vote: 5-0. Ayes: Members Collins, Harris, Logue, Liz Waters and Yavelak. Nays: None.
B. Diseased boxwoods in Old Town Cemetery
Bill Harris gave an update on his investigations of the decline of the cemetery’s boxwoods.
Harris reported that he had contacted the J.C. Raulston Arboretum to ask for help finding solutions to the
nematode problem affecting the boxwoods. He shared the North Carolina Cooperative Extension soil test
results with the arboretum’s director, Mark Weathington. He said Weatherington had responded that the
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condition of the boxwoods did not look promising and the decline of boxwoods is usually caused by a
combination of issues: nematodes, leaf miners and other pests and excessive rainfall. The director did not
think the boxwoods will recover.
Harris presented options to the board and recommended removing the boxwoods and leaving the ground
fallow for six years to remove the food source for the nematodes and other pests.
Trueblood said the town’s tree contractor could cut the bushes down to an inch or two above the ground and
the stumps could be left to rot. This area could be mulched. She discouraged digging out the stumps or
grinding the stumps because there are many unmarked graves are on the property.
Harris noted the boxwoods have been removed from The Burwell School Historic Site for the same reason.
Boxwoods at private homes are also affected.
Trueblood suggested making a public announcement about the boxwoods to inform residents who may be
seeing their boxwoods decline as well.
Motion: Yavelak moved to cut the boxwoods close to the ground, mulch and leave fallow for 6 years.
Logue seconded.
Vote: 5-0. Ayes: Members Collins, Harris, Logue, Liz Waters and Yavelak. Nays: None.
Collins excused herself from the meeting at 9:28 a.m.
C. National Pollinator Week banner selection
Motion: Waters moved to adopt the banner with all capital letters. Yavelak seconded.
Vote: 4-0. Ayes: Members Harris, Logue, Liz Waters and Yavelak. Nays: None.
5. Updates
A. Hillsborough Garden Club
Francis said the club’s tour is May 15.
B. Bee City Subcommittee
There was no report.
C. Staff and board updates
Staff and board gave brief updates.
Trueblood informed the board of some tree removals:
• An ash tree at Town Hall has been removed.
• Two dead pines behind Sandbeck’s house will be removed.
• A dead hackberry in front of the Singers’ house has been removed from the right of way.
• One cedar in the Town Cemetery in the lower section has not recovered from ice damage and will be
removed.
Trueblood said the grounds crew is no longer mowing the steep slope in Turnip Patch Park.
6. Adjournment
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Harris adjourned the meeting at 9:47 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Stephanie Trueblood
Public Space Manager
Staff support to the Tree Board
Approved: June 16, 2021