10-24-2016 TBMCity of Hutchinson Tree Board
Monday October 24th 2016
5:30 PM
City Center
Minutes
Members present: Newton Potter, Dale Redetzke, Annie Kosel
Others present: John Olson public works manager, Donovan Schuette Arborist
Member absent: Juli Neubarth, Gary Forcier (Council Representative)
Meeting called to order at 5:30 p.m. There was a quorum of members present.
Tree board members
Newton Potter (to 01/17 1" full term)
Dale Redetzke (to 01/16 1" full term)
Juli Neubarth (to 01/18 1" full term)
Annie Kosel (to 01/18 1" full term)
Gary Forcier (council representative)
John Olson (public works manager)
Donovan Schuette (arborist)
Discussion and new business
• Tree planting for the year including energy, boulevard, development, park, and other categories
stands at 336
• Removals stand at 96, not much change from the normal reasons, stem girdling roots on sugar
maples, declining condition on ash, and a few D.E.D. trees. Only 2 non-compliant DED trees are
left, 1 on adams and 1 on the corner of 4t" and lynn.
• Trimming will begin in earnest again after leaf vac season
o Other items, recently attended an I.S.A. conference addressing trees in the post planting
phase of their development. 2 varieties in particular, hackberry and elm, due to their
vigorous nature are causing issues across the urban landscape during wind loading
events. The consensus is more frequent management of these particular varieties
during the 5 years after planting. I'm instituting a pruning program for city owned trees
in response to this that provides at the bare minimum an inspection of new trees each
year of their first 5 in the ground that will determine which trees need attention.
The LCCMR grant seems to be progressing well, almost all the plant material and tools have
been Ok'd for reimbursement. I have put all of next year's tree orders under the grant which
should put us close to the amount we need to be at with a little room to order more for special
projects.
Next meeting: regularly scheduled meeting 1/23/17