Tree Advisory Board

City of Joliet 150 West Jefferson Street Joliet, IL 60432 Meeting Minutes - Final Tuesday, November 10, 2020 3:30 PM City Hall, Council Chambers Tree Advisory Board Commission Members Karen Fonte Eric Moon Rita Renwick Betsy Satcher Mary Schoenheider Jim Testin Ronald VanDyke Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - Final November 10, 2020 The Governor’s Office and the Illinois Department of Public Health activated a mitigation plan for Region 7 (Will and Kankakee Counties) and Region 8 (DuPage and Kane Counties), effective Friday, October 23, 2020. The new mitigation plan limits in-person meetings to 25 people or 25% of overall room capacity (whichever is less). Council Chambers allows for 13 members of the public while adhering to social distancing guidelines. During meetings, any member of the public physically present in the Council Chambers in excess of the limit will be asked to wait in another room with live feed to the meeting until the Citizens To Be Heard on Agenda Items section or Public Comments section of the meeting has commenced. Speakers will be rotated into Council Chambers to allow everyone an opportunity to speak. Pursuant to the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity’s Guidelines, it is recommended that any individual appearing in-person wear a face-covering to cover their nose and mouth. Citizens who are unable to attend the meeting can email comments in advance of the meeting to publiccomment@joliet.gov. ROLL CALL Present Rita Renwick, Karen Fonte, Willie Jaeger, Betsy Satcher, Mary Schoenheider and Ralph Schultz Absent Jeanne Phelan ALSO PRESENT: Jim Teiber - Arborist City of Joliet APPROVAL OF MINUTES - February 4, 2020 A motion was made by Karen Fonte, seconded by Mary Schoenheider, to approve the Minutes of the February 4, 2020 Tree Advisory Board. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Renwick, Fonte, Jaeger, Satcher, Schoenheider and Schultz Abstain: Phelan Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes 020420 TMP-0633 Attachments: Tree Advisory Board Minutes 020420 CITIZENS TO BE HEARD ON AGENDA ITEMS There were no Citizens to be Heard on Agenda Items. ARBORIST REPORT Jim Teiber stated that there are 161 trees that are yet to be planted this year. He said that the last few storms that came through Joliet and Plainfield caused damage to many trees that had to be removed. He said the city spent $240,000 doing the clean-up.He said there were other hazard trees from those storms that are yet to be removed. Mr. Teiber said he is applying for a $25,000 CN EcoConnextions Grant that would allow him to transform some sections at Bicentennial Park and the Broadway St. Greenway into educational areas. NEW OR OLD BUSINESS, NOT FOR FINAL ACTION OR RECOMMENDATION Page 1 of 3 Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - Final November 10, 2020 AMERICA IN BLOOM, 2020 The city took part in the America in Bloom program this year, a requirement for cities who receive grant funding through CN EcoConnexions.Renwick took part in the AIB Symposium in the Sky and the City of Joliet received the national “Eye-Popping-Pots” award recognizing the outstanding floral displays throughout City Center this summer.A Sept. 10 publicity event at Union Station celebrated the grant we received to enhance entryways to the city. TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE Rita stated that the board has been working on the Ordinance since 2017 with Ralph Schultz chair with she and Karen Fonte on the subcommittee. Ralph Schultz has done the majority of work on the Ordinance. Emily Okallau, Community Outreach Coordinator with the Morton Arboretum suggested a few changes to the Tree Preservation Ordinance. A stand- alone ordinance in the Municipal Code under Article VI: Tree, Shrub, and Plant Regulations Section 26-128 through 136 would give more importance to the ordinance. Suggestions for species of trees, shrubs, etc. would be better suited to an Arboricultural Manual allowing species changes as needed without changing the ordinance. BOARD MEMBER STATUS ARBOR DAY, 2021 Jim Teiber said he wants to plan for the 2021Arbor day. He plans to purchase saplings for the event. Rita said we may have to do a virtual event, depending on the status of the current pandemic. She said we could work by committee to plan activities. Woodland School was going to be the host of the 2020 Arbor Day Celebration. Jim Teiber worked with homeowner’s associations to hold events in 2020. Those that were interested were: Brookside, Kendall Ridge, and New Fairfield. MEETING DATES, 2021 Rita said she will plan on dates in February, March, August and then in November, 2021. Rita said the board needs an additional board member since Jeanne Phelan had to resign since she moved out of the city limits. Rita said we would elect officers at the February meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT There were no public comments. Page 2 of 3 Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - Final November 10, 2020 ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Ralph Schultz, seconded by Karen Fonte, to adjourn. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Renwick, Fonte, Jaeger, Satcher, Schoenheider and Schultz Absent: Phelan Page 3 of 3