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, March 19, 2024

3:45 PM

Hybrid Meeting: Attend in person at the Lyman

Anderson building 5201 Fen Oak Dr; Meeting Room

Drumlin: attend virtually via Zoom

A. Call To Order

7 -

Present

Supervisor MICHELE RITT, JAY WEISS, LAURA WYATT, MATT NOONE, CATHY

BRODBECK, TIERNEY BOCSI, and TEDWARD ERKER

1 - CORY RICH

Excused

Also Present: Adam Alves, Brian Wahl, Lisa Johnson

B. Consideration of Minutes

2.20.2024 MINUTES TREEBOARD POLICY

2023

MIN-563

Attachments: 2023 MIN-563

A motion was made by WYATT, seconded by BRODBECK, that the Minutes be

approved. The motion carried by a voice vote 7-0.

C. Tree Board Operating Agreement

a. Tree Board Operating Agreement. This will be an evolving agreement between board

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

operate.

b. Action-oriented agenda items: “decide, brainstorm, weigh in on” – shift from reporting

and information sharing to engaging

i. Be deliberately engaged

ii. All members of the board feel valued and respected

iii. Permission to be unpolished

iv. Communicate the ask

v. Hear from everyone

vi. Make new members feel welcome

vii. Follow up on request/tasks (accountable)

viii. Start on time / end on time

ix. Review TB Minutes prior to TB Meetings Dane County

D. Project & General Updates

1. DNR IRA Urban forestry Grant supporting tree preservation

2. Shabazz & Thoreau Tree Plantings & OFS Tree Cribs: OFS built three cribs.

Installation set for April 22 at Shabazz. Helpers will include Brian Standing and Mel

Askay, TIERNEY BOSCI.

3. Student advisory Tree Board job description

4. DNR IRA Urban Forestry Grants

5. Student Early Career TB Advisory Position

6. Workgroup Reporting: ERKER reports on Outreach Working Group discussion re the

website, and the April 22 event at Lussier with 300 seedling trees to give away to the

public. For the Policy Working Group, WYATT tried to send a signup poll to set up a

meeting date and encountered a technology issue. She will try again with a different

platform. Policy group to meet after April 11, week of 15th.

7. Spongy Moth: discussion around spongy moth management for homeowners

8. Morton Arboretum Workshop: Workshop WYATT may be able to attend; need to

research reimbursement for her. BRODBECK and Wahl are attending and will report on

the Morton program.

E. Action Items

1. DNR IRA Urban Forestry Grant on Supporting Tree Preservation Ordinance – Proposal

that part of the IRA grant being submitted by the County through the LWRD would

support development of an ordinance for tree preservation on county lands. The

ordinance would be written with the assistance of an organization or business that would

be contracted to help develop the language around tree management/preservation. A

resolution through the County Board is needed for the policy change; RITT would help

develop this. Alves will research the cost for the contract and whether it can be added to

the current Dane County IRA application. Ordinance needs to specify how it benefits

disadvantaged communities and they must have a voice in developing it. Alves needs

Tree Board approval to reach out to contractors. WYATT MOTIONS for approval to add a

tree preservation ordinance development to the existing County IRA grant proposal and

have Alves explore contractor cost to develop the language. WEISS seconds

A motion was made by WYATT, seconded by WEISS, that the motion to add a

tree preservation ordinance development to the existing County IRA grant

proposal and have Alves explore contractor cost to develop the language be

approved. The motion carried unanimously 7-0.

2. Student or Early Career Tree Board Advisory Position RITT drafted an ordinance

amendment, not introduced yet for this position. The amendment says that at least one

member of the Dane County Tree Board must be a person currently enrolled in an

environmental apprenticeship or who has no more than five years’ experience in a related

environmental field. For this position, a second option, if the Board membership

amendment is not desired, the informal route for a student/early career voice on the

Board is to have an informal route with a member of the public attending regularly and

have a standing item allowing them to speak. A third route is to appoint an official

Advisor position (non-voting). This also requires an amendment. RITT will check on the

procedure and on how the Advisor’s role works for Alves and Wahl.

3. Educational Activities at Tree Board/TCC events: Discussion on possibilities around

tree cookies, etc.

4. Renew Workgroups? Decided to renew work groups. WEISS MOTIONS to renew

workgroups beyond 2024 WYATT seconds. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

A motion was made by WEISS, seconded by WYATT, that the motion to renew

work groups beyond 2024 be approved. The motion carried unanimously.