ARBOR COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
Monday, August 5, 2024, 8:15-10:15 AM
Ellsworth City Hall, Council Chambers
1 City Hall Plaza, Ellsworth, ME 04605
AGENDA
1. Call to Order (time by which item will be completed)
2. Adoption of Minutes of July 1, 2024 (8:20AM)
3. Staff Comments or Clarifications (8:40AM)
• Tree Ordinance response re levels of authority
• Response to Tree Warden job description
• Other
4. Citizen Comments (8:45AM)
5. Report from City Council (9:00AM)
• Update on meeting with C. Pearce, M. Williams
• Staff support for Commission
• Update on Tree Warden job description.
• Person in charge of communications during M. Condon’s leave
• Tree City USA flag
• Other
6. Action Item Reports/Decisions (9:40AM)
• Memorial tree planting (M. Blackstone/T. White)
• Summer public education event: Beech leaf disease panel
• Review Commission’s monthly meeting time.
• Commission membership
• Overall Commission Work Plan/Agenda for 2024-2025 relative to Commission and Public Works Budgets
• Staff/Commission Committee to develop and oversee Project Canopy Grant project work plan
7. Committee Reports
• Tree Ordinance/Tree Warden Job Description (I. Drummond, J. Lambert, T. White) (9:50AM)
• Updates on Tree Ordinance and Tree Warden Job Description feedback
• Review of ordinance and tree warden job description in light of 2025 budget decisions and resulting staffing.
• Other
• Forest Management Plan (Blackstone, T. Davis, S. Walczyk, J. Barnes, T. White) (10:00AM)
• Current status
• Other
8. Work Schedule for Information (Timelines, Deadlines) (10:10AM)
• Budget Proposals for 2025 (submitted and presented to Council April 2024; follow up communications/meetings with City Manager necessary in light of Fall budget review)
• Project Canopy Grant Application (submitted May 15, 2024/received)
• Inflation Reduction Act Urban & Community Forestry Grant (submitted May 15, 2024; results pending)
• Revised Tree Ordinance (sent for consultation in May; finalize for submission to Council September 2024?)
• Tree Warden Job Description (March 6, 2024 to City Manager/Council; resent after arrival of new city manager; resent July 2024)
• Submission of Arbor Day Proclamation to Mayor (proclaimed February 12, 2024)
• Submission of Tree City USA 2024 application (submitted December 2024)
• Community Tree Nursery Input on Ordering & Planting for 2025
• Finalize City of Ellsworth Forestry Management Plan (first full review by Commission October 2024)
• Plan Public Education Programming for 2024-2025 (Chestnut Program, April 2024; Beech Leaf Disease August 2024; other on White Pine, to remove or not?)
• Arbor Day/Maine Arbor Week 2025 Activities (?)
• Other
9. Member Comments/Other Business (10:15AM)
10. Next Meeting: Sept 9, 2024 8:15-10:15AM.
11. Adjournment