Tree Advisory Board

City of Joliet 150 West Jefferson Street Joliet, IL 60432 Meeting Minutes - Final Thursday, November 4, 2021 3:30 PM City Hall - Council Chambers Tree Advisory Board Commission Members Rita Renwick Karen Fonte Willie Jaeger Betsy Satcher Mary Schoenheider Ralph Schultz Bill Bromer Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - Final November 4, 2021 As of August 30, 2021, Governor Pritzker announced a statewide indoor mask mandate for all Illinois residents, regardless of vaccination status. In compliance with Governor Pritzker’s mandate, any individual appearing in person must 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. 1. ROLL CALL Present Rita Renwick, Karen Fonte, Willie Jaeger, Mary Schoenheider, Ralph Schultz and William R Bromer Absent Betsy Satcher Jim Teiber and Ralph Schultz will be late attending meeting. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Karen Fonte, seconded by William Bromer, to approve the Minutes of the August 5, 2021 Tree Advisory Board. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Renwick, Fonte, Jaeger, Schoenheider and Bromer Absent: Satcher and Schultz Tree Advisory Minutes - August 5, 2021 ID-526-20 Attachments: Meeting Minutes 8-5-21 3. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD ON AGENDA ITEMS No citizens present at this time. NOTE: There is a new temporary procedure for public speaking. Details can be found on the Joliet.gov "Public Comments" web page. Jim Teiber and Ralph Schultz came to meeting at 3:35 pm. 4. ARBORIST REPORT Jim Teiber gave updates to the CN/AIB Grant report. Approximately $23,000.00 of the $25,000.00 grant funds have been used for perennial plants, trees and tulips. Approximately $2,000.00 remaining will go towards spring planting to complete the grant. The Board had further discussion regarding Bicentennial Park. Rita Renwick stated she will meet with a Girl Scout Troop in the spring and will show them how to weed. Fall planting was discussed and there are 493 trees left which will be planted by end of November. There were 1000 trees planted last year and there will be 1000 trees planted this year. This is the seventh year of a 10 year growing contract. 5. NEW OR OLD BUSINESS, NOT FOR FINAL ACTION OR RECOMMENDATION a. CN/America in Bloom Page 1 of 3 Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - Final November 4, 2021 The Board discussed this $25,000.00 Grant that is almost complete. The City planted fruit trees, food bearing shrubs and plants, plus pollinators at the food forest at the northern end of the Broadway St. Greenway. Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park was the main focus of an educational native perennial pollinator garden. As an in-kind contribution by the City, volunteers donated over 100 hours at a rate of $28.00 per hour equaling about $3000.00 Rita Renwick met with Girl Scouts at B-Park and planted tulips on the hillside. Jim Teiber restored a swale by Inwood along Jefferson Street where the City had cut down trees under power lines a few years ago. Soil was added and perennials and low-growing trees are being planted with money from the CN/American in Bloom grant, which Jim Teiber may complete into spring 2022. The media event celebrating the CN/ America in Bloom Event is being televised on Channel 6 and there was an article in the paper. The Mayor attended along with representatives from Bi-Park and a few councilpersons. Jim Teiber, Rita Renwick and two representatives from American in Bloom spoke at this event. Holding a media event is a requirement of the grant. b. Tree Preservation Ordinance / Urban Forestry Management Plan / US Forest Service Grant Jim Teiber and the Board discussed this Ordinance. The Board is working with Zach Wirtz, of the Chicago Region Trees Initiative, the administrator of the US Forest Service Grant. Zach Wirtz suggested using the Silver template created by CRTI (Chicago Region Trees Initiative) for the Ordinance. Rita used our existing tree preservation section from the City code with modifications to plug into the Silver template. Rita Renwick met with Chris Regis, City of Joliet Inspector General, who reviewed and gave approval to use the Silver template. This new Ordinance should address removal of trees and responsibilities of the Aborist in regard to same. This Grant is $20,000.00 to do a sample survey/inventory and an Urban Forest Management Plan. Joliet is not putting any money into it and doing in-kind match so the contractor is gong to do a partial Urban Forestry Management Plan. Having an Ordinance, inventory and plan are necessary to qualify the City for additional grants. The Contract was signed today with Great Lakes Urban Forestry Management/Graf Tree Care, Inc. (the company that is going to do all the work). As part off their Plan, a budget and work plans for five and ten years will be created. Great Lakes will inventory the Cathedral Area and the matching work will also be done in that area. The matching budget for tree planting is in place due to the City's contract growing program. The board discussed what else should be put in the Ordinance. Everything has to be completed by July 1, 2022. The inventory and management plan was discussed. c. Review of policy for tree removal requests from residents Discussion was held regarding how the City tree removal and trimming is being handled. Currently, Street Department is trimming and removing trees and Jim Teiber is not informed of removals. The Board discussed how to address this. There were over 600 calls last year regarding trees. Rita Renwick stated the current policy is not a best practice for tree care, is not efficient and jeopardizes future grant money. Rita is looking for recommendations for this tree policy. Rita Renwick suggested a meeting with Greg Ruddy and /or Joe Nordham about this tree removal policy. There are discrepancies on what trees should be taken down or just trimmed. Rita Renwick stated that there has to be better management of the trees and the level of care for trees needs to be maintained. d. Tree City USA Application Page 2 of 3 Tree Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - Final November 4, 2021 Rita Renwick stated the Tree City USA Application is due by end of December. Jim Teiber gathers all information for this annual designation, which we have received for thirty years. Rita Renwick will work with Jim Teiber to submit the application. e. Arbor Day 2022 The Board discussed the poster contest and 2022 celebration. The Board will plan this and pick a school which needs to be in Joliet. This needs to be done by the February 2022 meeting. f. Meeting Schedule for 2022 Rita Renwick discussed the 2022 meetings: February 3, 2022, April 7,2022, August 4, 2022, and November 3, 2022. The last Friday in April, this year April 29 is Arbor Day. Rita suggested for the poster contest that all posters be in by March 23. The posters will then be judged by the April 7, 2022 meeting and the parents and kids can come to City Council on April 19, 2022 to be recognized. Board discussed another Grant that Jim Teiber was thinking of applying for. Rita Renwick discouraged applying for another grant for 2022 because we are still completing grants from this year. This would be another CN Grant which is very involved and the American in Bloom program is part of it. There are many requirements including developing achievable goals, ordering and purchasing materials, interviews by judges, involving volunteers, procuring recognition sign, and holding a media event. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT None at this time. 7. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by William Bromer, seconded by Ralph Schultz, to adjourn. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Renwick, Fonte, Jaeger, Schoenheider, Schultz and Bromer Absent: Satcher This meeting will be held in an accessible location. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact Christa M. Desiderio, City Clerk, 150 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, Illinois 60432 at (815) 724-3780. Page 3 of 3