HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-30-2024
Arborist Advisory Committee to the Mayor’s Office
May 30, 2024
Meeting Minutes
Call to Order 11:06 am
Mark Odell
Leonard Bissell
Jonathan Sudler
Jill Wagner
Bobby Command
Jean Campbell
1. Statements from the Public – No Public present
2. Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the previous meeting were not available. Alexy was unable to provide
them but will email them later.
3. New Business
• Should Committee compile photos of all trees on the list
Leonard Bissell suggested continuing the effort to establish the status of existing
exceptional trees. Mark O'Dell discussed the details of health checks and the need to
include negative notes about tree health.
Leonard Bissell will try to find the contact who presented to them previously.
• Details of each tree's health and size at the time photo was taken
• Should we create a catalogue with this information
• If we notice trees declining from these field inspections do we take any action or just document its
decline until it's removed from the list?
(These topics were discussed under heading of new business)
GIS Data Sharing
The committee discussed meeting with GIS professionals from the county to share all
data on the county website.
Tree Nomination Status
Jill Wagner mentioned nominating a tree last month and is waiting for the status. Bobby
Command has the nomination and finds the GIS site hard to track.
Sunshine Law and Expeditions
Jean Campbell mentioned Sunshine Law questions regarding expeditions and stated
they need to be sanctioned in advance.
Tree Assessment
Leonard Bissell mentioned not being qualified for assessing trees and suggested taking
photos to update records. Mark O'Dell will make a list of details needed.
Use of Measure App
Jonathan Settler suggested using the Measure app on iPhone for accurate
measurements.
Tax Break for Tree Maintenance
Discussion on whether the committee should step in if a tree is in decline. Leonard Bissell
mentioned that the tax break is for maintenance, so the property owner should decide.
Private Land Trees
Jean Campbell noted that 10 out of 33 trees listed on the Big Island are on private land.
Tree Health Alerts
Jill Wagner suggested alerting the Mayor's Office if a tree has been wounded. Leonard
Bissell mentioned that deadwood is a safety issue.
Arborist Position
Leonard Bissell emphasized the need to focus on the Arborist position and
get it back on board for further discussion.
Separate Committee Proposal
Mark O'Dell proposed creating a separate committee from the Mayor's
Office. Bobby Command mentioned it as something to consider.
6. Announcements
New Agenda Items
Proposal to separate the committee from the mayoral term and expand the authority of
AAC to give more insight into county projects. Gene Campbell outlined the three-step
process for new business.
7. Schedule Next Meeting
The next meeting was scheduled for June 19th at 11 a.m.
Final Notes/Actions
Alexy will email the minutes later.
Leonard Bissell will find the contact who presented previously.
Mark O'Dell will make a list of details needed for tree assessments.
Jonathan Settler suggested using the Apple iPhone Measure app for accurate
measurements of trees in the field.