10-26-2015 TBMCITY OF HUTCHINSON
TREE BOARD
Monday, October 26th, 2015
5:00 p.m.
City Center
Meeting Minutes
Members present: Newton Potter, Annie Kosel, Gary Forcier (City Council representative)
Members absent: Dale Redetzke, Maggie Tierney
Others present: John Olson, Public Works Manager
Others: Kirstin Taggart
Meeting called to order at 5:00 p.m. There was a quorum of members present.
Tree Board Members
Newton Potter
(to 01/17, 1st full-term) Dale Redetzke (to 01/16, 1st full-term)
Maggie Tierney
(to 01/18, 1st full-term) Anne Kosel (to 01/18, 1st full-term)
Gary Forcier
(Council representative) John Olson (Public Works representative)
Mike Bahe
(PRCE representative)
Quarterly Meeting schedules: 01126115, 04127115, 07127115, 10126115
Maggie notified the City that she would no longer be able to serve due to work schedule conflicts.
1) Tree Board Minutes
a) Tree Board minutes from meeting on July 27th, 2015 were reviewed. No changes.
2) Standing Reports
a) Forestry update. Olson reported that since Mike had left in late August, Kirstin Taggart has been the
`face' of forestry to the public. Kirstin is scheduled to be here until early November, at which time,
all calls will be forwarded to Public Works.
3) Operational Issues and Open Proiects
a) Arborist position. Olson reported that prior to Mike Bahe's resignation, there had been ongoing
discussions with administration about moving the position to full-time and assigning it to Public
Works. In May, PRCE & Public Works met with the City Administrator and was determined that the
proposed configuration into the 2016 budget. After Mike Bahe announced his resignation, PRCE and
Public Works requested that that two positions would be filled: 1) Park Operator; 2) Arborist.
b) At a recent budget workshop meeting, the proposal was presented to the Council, which led to the
opening of the two proposed positions.
c) Currently, the positions are advertised or in the process, and it is expected that in early to mid-
November, interviews and the hiring process will begin to fill the two positions.
d) The Arborist position will be assigned to Public Works.
4) Other Discussions/New Business
a) Olson presented the department's Urban Forest Maintenance program document, which includes
general information about the program, definitions of priorities, identification of program components
and outlines forestry -related services.
b) The document also defines boulevard trees and discusses the processes by which and the spacing
requirements for boulevard trees. A "cheat sheet" was developed to assist those planning boulevard
tree installations.
c) Finally, a listing of approved boulevard tree plantings was included.
Members were encouraged to review the program documents and provide any input.
NEXT MEETING: Regularly scheduled meeting: 01/25/2016