Dane County

Minutes - Final Unless Amended by

Committee

Tree Board

Consider:

Who benefits? Who is burdened?

Who does not have a voice at the table?

How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

3:45 PM

Tenney Park Beach: 1300 Sherman Ave, Madison, WI

53703

A. Call To Order

The meeting was called to order at 3:53pm.

5 -

Present

Excused

MATT NOONE, CATHY BRODBECK, TIERNEY BOCSI, TEDWARD ERKER, and

KATE KENDZIORA

4 - Supervisor MICHELE RITT, JAY WEISS, LAURA WYATT, and CORY RICH

Others Present: Lisa Johnson, Brian Wahl

Others Excused: Adam Alves

B. Consideration of Minutes

WYATT joined at 3:58pm.

6 -

Present

LAURA WYATT, MATT NOONE, CATHY BRODBECK, TIERNEY BOCSI,

TEDWARD ERKER, and KATE KENDZIORA

3 - Supervisor MICHELE RITT, JAY WEISS, and CORY RICH

Excused

MINUTES OF THE JUNE 17, 2025, TREE BOARD MEETING

2025

MIN-185

Attachments: 2025 MIN-185

A MOTION to accept minutes was made by BOCSI, seconded by ERKER. MOTION

passed (6-0).

C. Tree Board Operating Agreement

1. Have a common understanding of Acronyms. CARPC, Capital Area

Regional Planning Commission, assists regional governments with

planning efforts and assists DNR with water quality management. OFS,

Operation Fresh Start, assisting youth with social barriers obtain work

experience and education. TCC, Tree Canopy Collaborative, a diverse

group of professionals whose goal is to increase tree Canopy. WAA,

Wisconsin Arborists Association. DCTB, Dane County Tree Board.

2. This will be an evolving agreement between board members that

can help our team create an environment in how we communicate and

operate.

• Action-oriented agenda items: “decide, brainstorm, weigh in on” -

• Shift from reporting and information-sharing to engaging

• Be deliberately engaged

• All members of the board feel valued and respected

• Permission to be unpolished

• Communicate the ask

• Hear from everyone

• Make new members feel welcome

• Follow up on request/tasks (accountable)

• Start on time / end on time

• Review TB Minutes prior to TB Meetings

D. Project and General Updates

1 - Dane County free tree rural program for new single-family rezones.

NOONE says 100 tree seedlings are ready to be planted at the Dane County

Parks gravel bed. The plan is to send a mailing to families with new

subdivisions, heritage oaks, towns or villages (rural), to let them know they

qualify for a heritage oak sapling. NOONE is working with Aaron Krebs on this

project.

CORY RICH Joined at 4:08 pm

2 - DCTB apparel to represent our board at events. RICH brought samples

from the company that does OFS-ware. RICH presented quotes for 10

embroidered winter hats $14, $23 baseball caps, $23.75 T-shirts. Cheaper

options that are not local can be researched online as well. Johnson will send

RICH the current budget. Spending on apparel was previously approved.

3 - SCRUFs meeting on Wednesday 7/16 Wahl hosting a meeting at the

Madison Urban Forestry office. There will be a presentation on trees and

utilities. Indoor and outdoor component for this meeting.

4 - Upcoming events

7 -

Present

Excused

LAURA WYATT, MATT NOONE, CORY RICH, CATHY BRODBECK, TIERNEY

BOCSI, TEDWARD ERKER, and KATE KENDZIORA

2 - Supervisor MICHELE RITT, and JAY WEISS

E. Discussion Items

1 - TB member presentation: Kendziora went through 2-year arborist training

at Madison College. Worked at Hooper for 2 years. Worked with utility arborists

in a customer-facing role 3 years. 2.5 years ago began job at MG&E focusing

on underground and overhead construction and tree conflicts. Is working with

line crews and home owners to maintain trees especially with utility conflicts.

Forestry program Manager at MG&E just started recently working with the line

crews, upgrading lines and wanting to put more lines underground. Wants to

address tree concerns prior to construction. Expanded the MG&E role and

involvements to follow BMPs with trees and electrical lines. She and arborists

communicate with homeowners for new construction, etc.

2 - Projects/policies that we should be or want to be working on. Model

tree ordinance? - not discussed

3 - Mission and vision statement review - not discussed

4 - Next steps for TB in regard to County tree preservation resolution - not

discussed

TEDWARD ERKER left 4:47

6 -

Present

Excused

LAURA WYATT, MATT NOONE, CORY RICH, CATHY BRODBECK, TIERNEY

BOCSI, and KATE KENDZIORA

3 - Supervisor MICHELE RITT, JAY WEISS, and TEDWARD ERKER

F. Action Items

1 - Tree Board Purchases - proceeding with DCTB apparel purchased that

were previously approved.

G. Future Meetings Items and Dates

8/19/2025 at 3:45 pm. Location to be determined.

H. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda

None

I. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law

None

J. Adjourn

A MOTION was made by BRODBECK, seconded by RICH. The MOTION passed

(6-0). The meeting adjourned at 5:00pm.