Beautification and Improvement Commission

Minutes – 2/1/24 Roll Call: Commissioners Present: Robert Quane (Chair) Sherwin Ditlove Vernell Ellison-Smith George Hubchak Chuck Levine Frederick Lisiewicz Edward Potash Rachel Rosenberg Mitchell Sandler (Vice Chair) Valerie Shuman Brooke Sprague Ross Del Rosario Mike Madalinski William Oney-Paige Katy Darr Commissioners Absent: Ann Goldsha� (Leave of Absence) William (Tony) Barney Forester Cathy Stevens – Present Trustee James Johnson - Absent 6:30PM – mee�ng called to order 1. Chair Quane passes around “rough” budget to commission members, present a. This will not be the “final” budget that is presented to the Village  b. Budget is slightly over $10K c. Forester Stevens explains i. What the hor�culture & landscaping expense entails ii. Postage – reduced to $100 iii. “Other commodi�es” (float) iv. Trees d. Chair Quane goes into some more details in the budget regarding: i. Candy and S�ckers ii. “Beter” Skokie door hanger (beter than last years’) – showed example to group 1. Possibly will enlist Meredith Gioia (Communica�ons Manager for the Village of Skokie) to design e. Plas�c bags were not an expense incurred by the commission per Forester Stevens f. Chair Quane discusses i. Expenditures for Arbor Day ii. Possible par�cipa�on in Farmers’ Market iii. Different events for ge�ng names for marke�ng to people in the Village g. Commissioner Oney-paige asks what $5K is for i. Forester Stevens states for annuals and na�ve plan�ngs ii. Forester Stevens says money is partly for sprucing up downtown area h. “Spirit” of Budget is passed in commission 2. Commissioner Rosenberg discusses: a. Lisa Hilgenberg – edible gardening speaker from Chicago Botanic Garden i. She will be speaking at the Skokie Library for Beau�fica�on Commission sponsored event ii. Library will pay an honorarium of $300 iii. Talk will take place in business and community center. 1. This is a smaller room at the library that can hold ~40 people iv. Registra�on starts 3/1 v. Commissioner Rosenberg will host and introduce everyone to Lisa vi. There will be a tree related talk in the Fall vii. Possibly launching tree plan�ng viii. Commissioner Shuman ques�ons if we can get a larger room if we get more people? ix. Commissioner Rosenberg will see if library could move to a bigger room if necessary x. Lisa would need to agree to a zoom mee�ng xi. Chair Quane asks the team to reach out to “network” to get par�cipants 3. Commissioner Shuman: Skokie Roots for Trees a. Commissioner Sprague designed and presented logo b. Target – 1K Trees in 4 years c. 4 pieces of the program area explained d. Everything done in collabora�on with Village Forestry e. Village must match for every tree provided by grant f. What is the fastest way to get the most trees in the ground?  i. Target large campus areas (educa�onal) ii. Forestry has already surveyed iii. Program covers various school districts 1. Do we have contacts on the commssion with those school districts? iv. Commissioner Shuman goes over interests – what mo�vates people? v. Commissioner Shuman spells out the plans by quarter vi. Leters already sent out to schools per Forester Stevens vii. Forester Stevens went over the various districts viii. Forester Stevens has already met with 73 & Oakton 1. 24 spots found at Oakton Campus for trees ix. Commissioner Shuman discusses planning for Arbor Day 1. Partnering with Emily Oaks 2. Possible tree theme for awards night in Fall 3. Making it easier for people to get trees from the Village x. Vice Chair Sandler – Village must look at trademarking/licensing “Skokie Roots” for Trees logo 1. Team must talk to legal/marke�ng xi. Commissioner Oney-Paige – Everyone should use our logo! xii. Logo is finalized xiii. Forester Stevens stated that the school districts include private schools 4. Chair Quane– Arbor Day a. Presents a bunch of ideas for Arbor Day b. Brainstorming on Arbor Day as well as parkway plan�ngs c. Arbor Day is last Friday of April (26th) d. Start at Ida Crown with plan�ng – program to emanate from this loca�on? e. Is there something also to do inside the school? f. Commissioner Darr – used to work for the Village of Niles – talked about birdhouses donated from THD i. Children painted and then displayed on fence around farm in Niles ii. Commssioner Shuman – possible “birdhouse hunt” for Village of Skokie? g. Capitalize on everything with photos/social media to promote h. Forester Stevens in 2000, the Village planted a tree at every school in town i. This con�nued but not in every school ii. Tree plan�ng ceremony iii. Grant money may not be ready for Arbor Day iv. Park District could help out v. Commissioner Madalinski – 25 year anniversary next year for trees planted in 2000. i. Commissioner Shuman –Website automa�on would be great by Arbor Day j. Commissioner Hubchak – Can we work with metropolitan water district? k. Chair Quane envisions a kickoff ceremony i. “blitz” of tree plan�ng l. Commissioner Shuman – Take a pic of kindergartners next to tree and then when they get to HS  m. Memo included that was sent out to Maria Monastero regarding block party organizers n. Chair Quane needs to circle back with Maria to get a response o. Chair Quane wants to measure success via data p. Chair Quane presents some ideas for the block organizers with the trees i. This could be for both parkway and backyard trees (idea) q. Commissioner Shuman – Make noise in Spring so people can plant in Fall r. Commissioner Oney-Paige – Can we do something at the commissioner apprecia�on banquet to get people excited? s. Commissioner Madalinski – Large birdhouse walk for Skokie to promote ar�s�c birdhouses? 5. Forester Stevens – Peace be with you, everyone! 6. Chair Quane – goes over recep�on in March (and what to expect) a. Talks about recogni�on b. Commission to sit together c. No dress code d. No entry before 6pm 7. Chair Quane – OMA training a. Everyone must do b. Calls out everyone who must do it Mee�ng adjourned at 7:28Pm