Skip Navigation
This table is used for column layout.
Tree Commission Minutes 01/17/19

Minutes of a meeting of
The Old Lyme Tree Commission
Thursday, January 17, 2019



ATTENDANCE
Regular Members present: Joanne DiCamillo, Michel Gaffey, Joan Flynn, Anne Bing, Emily Griswold
Ex-officio members absent: Thomas Degnan, Tree Warden

CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Joanne DiCamillo called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.

CLERK’S REPORT
Approval of November 15, 2018 meeting minutes: Joan Flynn made a motion to approve the minutes as written, seconded by Michael Gaffey. Motion passed. Emily Griswold abstained from voting as she was not at the November meeting. Anne Bing abstained as she had not been sworn in by the town clerk.

BUDGET REPORT
Balance remaining: Mrs. DiCamillo reported that as of 1-3-19 there was a balance of $10,884.81 in the Tree Commission budget, and $6,715 in Contracted services.
Bartlett Tree Experts was paid $595.40 on 11-30-18 for pruning trees.

OLD BUSINESS  
List of young trees: Pruning will be done over the winter and the trees will be fertilized in the spring.  
Hartford Avenue new trees: Mrs. DiCamillo met with Frank Pappalardo, chairman of the Sound View Commission. They discussed the maintenance of the new trees on Hartford Avenue. Mrs. DiCamillo told him that the Tree Commission cannot be responsible for watering the trees, which needs to be done regularly. The commission discussed the trees with Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal last fall. Mrs. DiCamillo recommended obtaining gator bags to make watering easier. The Tree Commission will take care of fertilizing and pruning the trees. Mr. Pappalardo will discuss the tree watering with the Sound View Commission.

Communications from the Tree Warden:  
12/20/18  
61 Grassy Hill Road: the tree warden reviewed the photos of the sugar maple from Mrs. DiCamillo, visited the site and met with Mr. Cooper. The tree warden inspected the tree and found a lot of decay. He marked the tree for removal.

126 Sill Lane: the tree warden authorized pruning of three Norway maples on the town ROW, three maples on the town green across from the residence and approved the estimate for the work. He posted two trees on the green. Public Works will arrange for the removals.
Motion: Michael Gaffey made a motion, seconded by Joan Flynn, to approve the pruning of six trees. Motion passed.

22 Library Lane: the tree warden met with Mr. Sunderland, inspected the Norway maple and found it healthy with no structural issues. Therefore, there is no reason to prune or remove it.  The homeowner agreed to keep an eye on the tree and notify the Tree Commission if anything changes.
NEW BUSINESS
2019 Tree Commission Meeting Calendar: The calendar was sent to Tree Commission members and filed with the Town Clerk. The commission meets the third Thursday of the month, except for the month of August.
Motion: Emily Griswold moved, seconded by Michael Gaffey, to approve the 2019 Meeting calendar. Motion passed.

OTHER BUSINESS
Reappointments: Anne Bing, Joan Flynn, and Emily Griswold were reappointed to terms of three more years.
Elect 2019 commission chair and co-chair:
Motion: Joan Flynn made a motion, seconded by Emily Griswold, to elect Joanne DiCamillo as chair of the Tree Commission for 2019. Motion passed.
Motion: Joanne DiCamillo made a motion, seconded by Michael Gaffey, to elect Joan Flynn as co-chair of the Tree Commission for 2019. Motion passed.

Mrs. DiCamillo thanked Anne Bing, Joan Flynn and Emily Griswold who have agreed to stay on the tree commission for another term.
The Tree Commission members thanked Mrs. DiCamillo for agreeing to be the chair for another year.

Review proposal of tree project: Mrs. DiCamillo reviewed her comments from the Nov. meeting and talked about the original mission of the commission as outlined in the tree ordinance.
In her opinion, tree planting should become a priority due to the fact that the town’s tree scape has been significantly reduced in recent years. She reviewed the programs she found online that other towns have utilized to expand tree planting in their communities. They include partnering with homeowners who request trees for planting on their properties. For example, Newport, Rhode Island, has a program where they will plant on private property if the property owner agrees to the following criteria; the location of the tree must be within 20 feet of a public right-of-way, commits to watering and maintaining the tree for two years and to attend a class on tree care before the tree is planted. Middletown, Rhode Island, offers a similar program.
Mrs. DiCamillo will email the web sites and links to tree commission members. The discussion will continue at the next meeting.

Michael Gaffey reported on the problem of a new invasive insect, the spotted lantern fly. The insect is believed to have come into the United States from Korea and is extremely destructive. It will eat a significant number of plants and is especially devastating to fruit trees. It infests an area very quickly. Michael wants to submit legislation to the State legislature to fund a program to eradicate the spotted lantern fly and would like the Tree Commission to support it. A panel should be formed and the public needs to be educated. He estimates that $2.4 million will be needed to start the program. The spotted lanternfly has the potential to be very destructive to Old Lyme, with I-95 and the railroad being a prime way to spread the insect which will lay eggs on virtually any surface (like the rusted metal on trucks and train cars). It has been found extensively in Pennsylvania, and last fall in Farmington, CT. Its droppings grow mildew that yellow jackets feast upon. It is attracted to the Ailanthus tree (tree of heaven), an invasive, which could be used as a trap plant. Lanternfly egg masses look similar to gypsy moth egg masses.
Mrs. DiCamillo recommended that Michael contact the tree warden with the information.
The discussion will continue at the next meeting.

ADJOURNMENT Joan Flynn made a motion, seconded Michael Gaffey, to adjourn the meeting at 5:07 P.M. Motion passed.

Next scheduled meeting will be held February 21, 2019 at 4:00 P.M. in Old Lyme Town Hall


Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen, Clerk