East Central Reporter

The City of Charleston Tree Commission held a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 20.

The purpose of the Charleston Tree Commission is to offer advice to the City Council to help the Charleston community regarding all matters related to the city's trees.

Here are the meeting minutes as provided by the Charleston Tree Commission:

CHARLESTON TREE COMMISSION---MEETING OF APRIL 20, 2016

Japanese Tree Lilac

The meeting of April 20, 2016 was convened in the upstairs conference room at 520

Jackson Avenue, Charleston, Illinois at 6:35 PM. Stan Adkins acted as facilitator for the meeting

Members present were Stan Adkins, Gary Cole, Dale McCullough, Kent Macy, and Larry

Shobe. Also present was C.J. Applegate, Superintendent of Parks and Facilities Maintenance.

The minutes of the March 30, 2016 minutes were approved as printed on a motion by Kent

Macy as seconded by Gary Cole. Motion passed 5-0.

OLD BUSINESS

a. Officers for 2016. Bob Wagoner was not able to attend. By acclimation Bob has

been asked to serve as Chairman for 2016. Cynthia Nichols is Vice-Chair and Stan

Adkins is Secretary.

b. Tree Campus USA;. Gordon Tucker has volunteered to attempt to put together

the re application for Eastern Illinois University. The 2015 information has not been

completed at this time.

c. Red Bud re-plantings. C.J. Applegate and his staff have replaced dead Red Buds

at Jefferson and the Middle School. Red Buds are all showing signs of spring growth.

d. Arbor Day, 2016. Arrangements are being made to partner with the Village of

Ashmore and Habitat for Humanity to plant a Red Maple at a Habitat house in

Ashmore, Illinnois. Also, 12 trees will be planted on Saturday, April 30th. 6 trees will

be planted at NECO FIELD and 6 at the south Baker Field. Tree Board members are

asked to help along with 4H kids through Cathy Emberton, 4H Director for the

University of Illinois Extension Office in Charleston.

Dale McCullough and Stan Adkins will remove the top layer of sod on Friday,

April 19th to make it easier for planting the next day.

Mayor Brandon Combs issued an Arbor Day Proclamation at the City Council

meeting for Arbor Day, 2016 in Charleston, Illinois which is Friday, April 29th

.

e. Sidewalk project along Monroe Street between 8th and 13th Streets.

Tree Board members are asked to evaluate the health of 16 trees along Monroe

Street, north side for either removal or maintaining as a new sidewalk will be poured

in the next several days. To this point 3 members have turned in reports concerning

their opinion on tree removal.

f. Problem trees. Larry Shobe reported a very dangerous tree with a large dead limb

overhanging Illinois Route 130 just north of the intersection of Route 130 and

County Road 1000 North. Larry explained the situation and his attempt to have the

limb removed. The tree is not within the City of Charleston.

g. EAB update. information on chemical treatment of Ash trees was made available

to members by Adkins. Discussion of the EAB will be continued at the May meeting.

The infected ash tree on private property on north 5th Street has not been removed.

Further discussion concerning the ownership of this tree and it’s possible removal will

be at the May meeting.

h. Illinois Forest Health. Adkins distributed a copy of the 2015 issue of Illinois

Forest Health and asked Tree Board members to refer to this very informative

research about current diseases impacting the forests of Illinois. It was compiled and

written by Dr. Fredric Miller, IDNR Forest Health Specialist, The Morton Arboretum,

Lisle, Illinois.

NEW BUSINESS

a. Vince Gutowski has a Bur Oak tree growing on his property south of Charleston

that is to be transplanted to EIU’s campus by EIU staff members. Vince had collected

the acorn from the large Bur Oak that grew on the east side of OLD MAIN. Discussion

centered around the arrangements to dig up the Bur Oak and have it planted in

honor of Vince. Vince’s wife, Pam is to be involved in the planting.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 ay 6:30 PM in the upstairs conference

room at 520 Jackson Avenue, Charleston, Illinois.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:42 PM on a motion by Dale

McCullough as seconded by Kent Macy.