Minutes of a meeting of
The Old Lyme Tree Commission
December 18, 2008
Attendance:
Regular members present: Joanne DiCamillo, Anne Bing, Pat Moll, Adela Wilmerding
Alternate members: Gerry Foster
Members absent: Tom Degnan (ex-officio), Joan Flynn (alternate)
Emily Griswold arrived after the meeting started.
A quorum being present, Chairman Joanne DiCamillo called the meeting to order at 4:08 PM.
Gerry Foster was authorized to vote in place of Emily Griswold
REPORTS
Clerk’s Report
The minutes of the 11/20/08 meeting were reviewed. Adela Wilmerding moved to accept the minutes as presented. Anne Bing seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
Budget Report
No report from the Finance office.
OLD BUSINESS
Fall Tree Planting
One red maple was planted on Old Shore and Buttonball Roads. Adela Wilmerding and Anne Bing reported that the trees were mulched and staked. Joanne DiCamillo requested that River-End Landscaping Inc. wrap the trunks to protect them from deer damage in addition to mulching and staking.
A red maple was planted in front of the Wenck property on Mile Creek Road. The Wencks are pleased with the tree. Adela Wilmerding phoned them to request that they speak to their lawn service about the damage on an existing tree planted by the commission several years ago in the vicinity. The trunk is scarred from lawn mowers hitting it.
The bill for planting two trees, including compost, peat moss, root enhancer, mulching, staking and picking up the trees at the nursery in Killingworth was $963.92. Running Brook Farms and Nursery charged $350.00 for the two maple trees.
The Speirs’ tree, Sill Lane, has been trimmed by a certified arborist. Mr. Speirs filed a tree permit application last month requesting permission to trim the branches that were interfering with electrical lines.
NEW BUSINESS
Tree Inventory Software
In 2003 the Tree Commission got quotes for tree identification software from Dan Pope, the Director of Technical Tree Works for the Kenerson Group (www.kenersongroup.com), a GIS systems software and consulting group. The quote ranged from $400 to $3500 for software and consulting fees. The Kenerson Group’s Tree Works software is based on ArcView GIS Software, and is an extension to ArcGIS Desktop and ArcPad.
Davey Tree Service also conducts tree inventories, their website is www.davey.com.
Gerry Foster mentioned that there could be more liability issues for the town after the trees are inventoried. The town is responsible for maintaining the trees and taking care of hazardous trees in a timely way.
The UCONN Extension Center has offered a Tree Inventory course that includes a scanner and GIS software.
Joanne DiCamillo suggested that determining the software we need should be our first step in starting the tree inventory process followed by the search to find a firm/consultant/interns to conduct the tree inventory. The tree inventory software needs to be compatible with the GIS software used in town hall.
MEMBER REPORTS
Tree Inventory
Gerry Foster spoke with Margo Burns, an environmental planner and conservation officer for CREPA who knows how to perform a Tree Inventory. Joanne asked Gerry Foster to invite Ms. Burns to our next meeting to speak with us about the process involved with conducting a tree inventory.
OTHER BUSINESS
Bids for Sill Lane tree trimming and removals
Joanne DiCamillo reported that she mailed bids on Nov. 20 for tree trimming and removals on Sill Lane to Lomas Tree Service, Wilcox Tree Service, and Yankee Tree Service. One of the specifications of the bid stated that the contractors call Joanne directly to schedule an inspection of the trees before submitting a bid. Jason Wilcox and Tom Lomas scheduled inspections as requested. Wilcox Tree Experts submitted a bid. Lomas Tree Service did not submit a bid. John Parker of Yankee Tree Service submitted a bid without scheduling an inspection; therefore, he did not fulfill the requirements of the bid specifications.
Jason Wilcox’s bid was $2,200 for trimming, removals and taking away all the wood and debris.
Adela Wilmerding moved to accept Jason Wilcox’s bid for $2,200 for tree trimming and removals on Sill Lane. Pat Moll seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
An additional charge of $300 was quoted for cutting up the wood and stacking it on the town right-of-way.
The members discussed the merits of the additional charge and agreed that it would be worth paying the extra $300 so that area residents could use the wood, instead of disposing of it.
Adela Wilmerding moved, Pat Moll seconded, to accept Jason Wilcox’s bid of $300 to cut and stack the wood left from tree trimming and removals on Sill Lane. The motion was approved unanimously.
Bids for Lyme Street linden tree trimming
The owner of E.F.Watermelon, on Lyme Street, asked to have the linden tree trimmed in front of his store. Joanne DiCamillo requested estimates from Lomas Tree Service and Wilcox Tree Service when she met with them.
Jason Wilcox submitted a quote of $300 to trim the tree and remove the debris. A quote was not received from Lomas Tree Service.
Pat Moll moved to approve Wilcox Tree Experts bid of $300 to trim the crown of the linden tree on Lyme Street in front of E.F. Watermelon. Anne Bing seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
Joanne DiCamillo asked Pat Moll to add some of the commission’s tree brochures to the display carousel in Town Hall. Pat Moll brought Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) acorns to show the members.
Joanne DiCamillo filed the Meeting Schedule for 2009 with the Town Clerk and emailed it to all members in November.
REMINDER
Next Meeting
Next scheduled meeting is on Thursday, January 15, 2008 at 4 PM at the Town Hall.
ADJOURNMENT
Adela Wilmerding moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:30 P.M. Anne Bing seconded the motion. It was unanimously approved.
Submitted by:
Martha Hansen, Clerk
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