02-22-2010 TBMHUTCHINSON TREE BOARD
at City Hall
Monday, February 22, 2010
5:00 p.m.
Agenda
Members present: __Corey Stearns, _� Dale Redetzke, _� Laura Poser,
Members absent _ Steve Cook, Mayor; Newton Potter
Others Present: _� Mark Schnobrich, City Forester;
Others present:
Meeting called to order at 5:05 p.m.
There was a quorum of members present: _� Y N
l.) University of Minnesota /Gravel Bed Grant Update
Mark updated the board on the University of Minnesota gravel bed grant and
mentioned that volunteers were still being sought to participate in the Tree
Identification class being put on by the University. Corey Stearns, Newton Potter
and Dale Redetzke all volunteered along with Mary Breuer and Rita Tieder.
These volunteers will participate in the tree ID class in March and will then assist
with surveying trees in May of this year. The data that they collect will be used to
help the city in its management of the Emerald ash borer and also give the city a
better idea as to how many and what kinds of trees make up our community
forest. The $1,500 grant will also be used to help the city set up a Missouri gravel
bed storage system used to keep bare trees prior to planting each spring. This
system is a way for the city to save on tree costs as bare root trees are much less
expensive then containerized trees thus allowing the city to plant more trees each
year.
2.) Adams Street Improvement project Landscape Plan
Mark discussed pending tree removal on Adams and Washington and the
prescribed time line for all of the activity. Washington Ave will be phase I of the
project ending by July 1St. This will be followed by Adams street south to 5' Ave
SE ending around September and Phase III taking place 5th Ave SE to the Crow
River.
It was discussed as to when the tree replanting was to take place with fall of 2010
or spring of 2011 being weighed as to which was the most proper. All final
decisions will be made soon with the engineering dept. and the County Engineer.
3.) Energy Tree Program 2010 Update
The Hutchinson Utilities Commission Energy Tree planting program has been
receiving applications for energy trees to be planted this spring. Only 8 have been
submitted thus far. It is planned each year to receive about 50 applications but of
course it seems they all come in after the snow melts and not during the early part
of the application process.
4.) Other Business
The board unanimously approved the pursuit of finalizing the licensing of the tree
care business here in Hutchinson. Mark will contact the list of locally working
tree care providers and invite them to a discussion session on the topic of
requiring licensing all tree care firms if they want to conduct their business within
the city limits of Hutchinson.
The licensing will help the city keep non professionals doing tree work for money
from performing work without insurance. It will also help the city to keep a list in
order contact those professionals about important tree issues such as emerald ash
borer and other tree diseases and insects.
Mark will hold the informational meeting with the contractors in March. The Tree
Board will review the new proposed licensing ordinance in April. In May the Tree
Board will recommend to the council that the requirement of licensing become
part of the city ordinance.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:OOPM.
Submitted by,
Mark Schnobrich