Minutes of a meeting of
The Old Lyme Tree Commission
August 20, 2015
Attendance:
Members present: Joanne DiCamillo (regular), Anne Bing (regular), Gerry Foster (regular), Emily Griswold (regular), Joan Flynn (alternate)
Ex-officio members absent: Tom Degnan, Tree Warden
A quorum being present, Chairman Joanne DiCamillo called the meeting to order at 3:56 pm.
The commission has openings for two members.
REPORTS
Clerk’s Report – The minutes of the 6/18/2015 meeting were reviewed.
Motion: Joan Flynn made a motion, seconded by Anne Bing, to approve the minutes as presented. Joanne DiCamillo, Anne Bing, Emily Griswold and Joan Flynn voted in favor, motion passed. Gerry Foster abstained as she had not attended the June meeting.
BUDGET REPORT
Balance & summary of expenditures YTD
Mrs. DiCamillo reported that as of 8/18/15 the balance in the Tree Commission budget was $15,970. The total budget for FY2015-2016 is $16,050.
2014-2015 – Balance
Mrs. DiCamillo, with the approval of the tree warden, requested a carryover of $1,100 from the FY2014-2015 budget to be used for tree removal and tree trimming. The request was approved by the Board of Finance.
NEW BUSINESS
Lyme Street walk with tree warden and Eversource rep.
Mrs. DiCamillo, Tom Degnan, and Susan Stotts walked along Lyme Street on July 23 to evaluate each of the trees for the upcoming trimming project. The elm tree in front of 75 Lyme Street and the Franklinia in front of Center School will not be trimmed.
Lyme Street & McCurdy Road – trees posted for removal
A tree on McCurdy Road near the Duck River was posted for removal, along with a tree at 46 Lyme Street.
Lyme Street tree trimming – Asplundh Tree Service
Most of the trees on Lyme Street (electrical wire side) have received a light trimming.
OLD BUSINESS
Young trees in town – 2015-2016 maintenance:
Mrs. DiCamillo spoke with Jason Wilcox of Wilcox Tree Service about maintenance of specific town trees.
His company does not weed and mulch but he offered to donate mulch to the town.
Mrs. DiCamillo passed around a list of the trees which need to be trimmed:
- Hains Park next to fence on west side – 1 Kousa dogwood
- Sill Lane/Saunders Hollow green – 1 weeping cherry
- 61 Sill Lane – 1 sugar maple
- 68 Sill Lane & Longacre Lane – Tupelo, lift canopy, 1 eastern dogwood
- 62 Sill Lane – 1 sugar maple, 2 Kousa dogwoods, lift canopy
- 80-1 Lyme Street – 1 sugar maple, lift canopy
- Lyme Street Firehouse - 2 Kousa dogwoods
- South of 64 Lyme Street – 1 ornamental pear
- Center School – Franklinia - light trim with corrective pruning where branches were cut
- Town Hall – 1 Japanese tree lilac, 1 sugar maple - remove dead branches from crown
- South of Ice Cream Shoppe - 1 sugar maple, prune die back in crown
- Ferry Road, Lyme Regis - 2 weeping cherry trees
- McCurdy Road/Johnnycake Hill Road – 3 Kousa dogwoods
- McCurdy Road/ Rte. 156 – 3 honey locust trees
- Old Shore Road/Buttonball Road – 1 sugar maple
- 110 Mile Creek Road– 2 red maples
- Cross Lane Firehouse – 2 ornament cherry trees, pruning and lift crowns
- Rte. 156 Police Station – 1 ornamental cherry tree (a 9-11 memorial tree) – extensive pruning, remove lower branches, overall crown trimming.
Town Hall foundation plantings maintenance - 2015-2016: Burnett’s Landscape edged, weeded and mulched all of the beds surrounding the building and around the trees on July 27. Everything looked very nice when they finished, a big improvement in the landscape. A large clump of Japanese knotweed in the bed behind the building was removed by Public Works in June but it continues to be a problem in that location and in all of the foundation beds. The knotweed has overcome the large bank behind the parking area in back of Town Hall and will kill the trees if it is not completely removed.
Town Hall tree trimming
Wilcox Tree Service did a very good job trimming and pruning the ornamental trees, maple trees, white pines, the slippery elm, shade trees, and the Japanese maple in the front of the building.
Old Lyme Historical Society tree trimming
The die back in the crown of the maple tree was trimmed but the tree now appears to be declining quickly, probably due to drought.
Police Station overgrown shrubs adjacent to the parking lot – plan for renovation:
Public Works removed two Pieris japonica shrubs, the area looks much better. The cherry tree (9-11 Memorial Tree) is growing well and is on the list to be pruned.
Tree Planting – There is a line item of $1,500 in the budget for tree planting. The resident at 46 Lyme Street would like a new tree planted to replace the one removed. Watering a new tree is so crucial to its survival during the first year. Before planting, the commission requests the adjoining property owner to ‘partner’ with us and routinely water for at least one year. Commission members were asked to identify locations for planting. October is a good month to plant trees.
Deputy Tree Warden position – progress
Tom Degnan will contact the candidate that Mrs. DiCamillo recommended and interview him. Additionally, he will contact Bob Ricard and Chris Donnelly for suggestions. The deputy tree warden must be a licensed arborist, or a graduate of tree warden school.
MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Town Woods Park tree planting update – LOLJWC:
Emily Griswold filed an application with the Inland Wetlands Commission to plant two trees and move the gazebo which occupies too much room inside the fenced playground area. The Commission does not meet in August but will do a site walk. If the application is approved, the Tree Commission will be consulted for species recommendations, and a planting and watering plan. The tree warden should approve and stake the planting location. First Selectwoman Reemsnyder offered to have Public Works help with the project (move the gazebo). She also said that the town may be able to provide some funds for tree planting since the park is on town property.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Communication
Rose Lane resident – Mrs. DiCamillo received a complaint that Lucas Tree Company, working for Eversource, did not clean up after removing a tree near the corner of the Boston Post Road and Rose Lane. Mrs. DiCamillo contacted Susan Stotts who, in turn, contacted the resident and had the mess cleaned up. The resident was very pleased and thanked Mrs. DiCamillo for her quick response to the problem.
Academy Lane resident – the resident at 13 Academy lane reported a broken tree limb on a tree growing on the town right of way. Wilcox Tree Services was in the area and removed the tree limb.
Lyme Street resident – the resident at 43 Lyme Street requested a light pruning by Asplundh for his maple tree and notified Mrs. DiCamillo that he was very happy with the results.
REMINDER
The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, September 17, 2015, 4:00 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion: Gerry Foster made a motion, seconded by Joan Flynn, to adjourn the meeting at 4:52p.m. All present voted in favor. Motion passed.
Respectfully Submitted,
Martha Hansen, Clerk
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