Minutes of a meeting of
The Old Lyme Tree Commission
April 21, 2011
Attendance:
Regular members present: Joanne DiCamillo, Gerry Foster, Anne Bing,
Members absent: Tom Degnan (ex-officio), Joan Flynn (Alternate), Emily Griswold (Regular), Sheila Wertheimer (Regular)
A quorum being present, Chairman Joanne DiCamillo called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM.
REPORTS
Clerk’s Report
The minutes of the 3/17/11 meeting were reviewed.
MOTION:
Gerry Foster moved, seconded by Anne Bing, to accept the minutes as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
BUDGET REPORT
Balance
Mrs. DiCamillo reported as of April 5, 2011, the balance in the General Fund (Tree Commission and Public Works) was $20,858.56.
NEW BUSINESS
Sill Lane – CL&P Project
Mrs. DiCamillo received a call from Susan Stotts of CL&P about an upcoming project on Sill Lane.
OLD BUSINESS
Care of Trees - elm trees fungicide treatment proposal
Mrs. DiCamillo has signed and returned the contract to Care of Trees for the treatment of 6 elm trees to prevent Dutch Elm Disease, at a cost of $610.
Spring tree planting
Sill Lane – Tom Degnan has staked locations for two white dogwoods at 68 Sill Lane (DiCamillo), and one red maple at 61 Sill Lane (Tolderlund). The trees will be planted this spring.
Town Hall – Tom Degnan staked locations for two hornbeam trees in front of Town Hall. One location may be moved 5 feet to the south to avoid underground water pipes. Tim Griswold suggested that the second one be planted in a different location to avoid obscuring the veteran’s memorial and flag pole. One tree will be planted this spring; the other may be planted in the fall. Mr. Griswold will ask Public Works to remove the remaining roots from a tree that was taken down last year to accommodate a new tree.
Police Station – Tom Degnan decided that there is not enough room to plant a tree near the police station due to the location of the utility lines.
Stump grinding bids
Mrs. DiCamillo got cost estimates from Ciro Landscaping and Middlesex Tree Service. The bids were almost identical so she divided the work between them.
Lyme Street – Ciro Landscaping
Griswold Avenue – Middlesex Tree Service
Sill Lane - Ciro Landscaping
Old Shore Road – CL&P tree removal
The tree has not been removed yet. Mrs. DiCamillo suggested to CL&P representative, Susan Stotts, that the adjacent homeowner be consulted before removing the tree.
Old Shore Road & Osprey Road – tree removal & trimming
The Tree warden tagged one maple tree for removal. He will ask Public Works to clean up vines and invasives in the adjoining area.
Ferry Road
Mrs. DiCamillo reported that there were very high tides during the winter that reached the plants near the fence and washed away some of the mulch there and on the bank of the river. Wilson Santiago, Ciro Landscaping, will replace the mulch with free wood chips. Some plants need to be repositioned due to erosion. Mrs. DiCamillo suggested planting more native perennials and possibly a shadbush on the Ferry Road bank.
MEMBER REPORTS
Gerry Foster attended a meeting of the Tree Warden’s Association of Connecticut and reported that they are offering scholarships to cover the cost ($220) of the Tree Warden Certification course which starts in November.
OTHER BUSINESS
Spring mulching of young trees – TC members
Members are asked to check their supply of mulch and notify Mrs. DiCamillo if they need more. Gerry Foster needs 3 bags of mulch. Anne Bing has one bag, which she thinks will be enough as her trees still have a lot of mulch around them.
Cross Lane – Public Works activity
Last fall Mrs. DiCamillo met onsite with Mr. Griswold, Ed Adanti and Don Bugbee. After evaluating all of the work required, it was determined that Public Works would begin with removal of invasive plants growing along the ground in late fall and afterward the Tree Commission would solicit bids for tree trimming; crown lifting and selective pruning in early winter. No one followed up with Mrs. DiCamillo and after repeated attempts to learn what had happened with the project; she visited the site earlier this month. She saw that Public Works had not only cleared invasive plants, they proceeded to trim several trees without consulting with the Tree Warden or notifying the commission. Several beautiful, very healthy pine trees, that Mrs. DiCamillo had recommended be left untouched, had branches chopped, with stubs remaining
exposed along the trunks. This type of pruning is unacceptable and does not meet ISA standards or the principles the commission requires of all contractors who work for the town.
Additionally, Public Works has indiscriminately removed shrubs and trimmed trees on the town greens without notification. Mrs. DiCamillo will follow up with a request for a meeting with Mr. Griswold and the Tree Warden to determine who authorized the work and inspected it when it was completed.
Lyme Street – pear trees
One of the pear trees was damaged recently, possibly by machinery. Someone made an attempt to prune broken branches. Corrective pruning is needed.
REMINDER - Next Meeting
Next scheduled meeting is on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 4 PM at the Town Hall.
ADJOURNMENT
Gerry Foster moved, seconded by Anne Bing, to adjourn the meeting at 4:45 PM. Motion unanimously approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Martha Hansen
Clerk
| 
