West Cook News

Village of Franklin Park Tree Preservation Commission met Aug. 20

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

The regular meeting of the Tree Prcservations was called to order at6:02 p.m. at the Village of Franklin Park Police Station, Community Room, located at 9451 W. Belmont Avenue, Franklin Park,lL 60131

Member Michael led the Pledge of Allegiance

ROLL CALL

Tree Preservation Members Les Grahn, Kayla Fahey, Ramona Michael

Absent: Sylvia Noth; Joan Ambo

Bee Committee members Mary Ellen Smolen. Katarina Modrich-Late arrival 6:10 PM

Absent: Monika Surovych

Also Present: Andy Smolen Sustainability, Forestry, Parkways and Facilities Director (SFPFD); Trustee Karen Special; Village Clerk April Arellano.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JUNE I8'h,2024

Motion by SFPFD Smolen, seconded by member Fahey to approve JUNE 18th, 2024 regular schedule meeting minutes

BUSINESS

l. Welcome to Kayla Fahey who was sworn in as a member of the Tree Preservation Commission on August 12th, 2024.

2. Trustee Special asked what the plan was for the trees the Village will be planting?

What types of trees, wherc do we want to plant these, rvhat is our direction? SFPFD Smolen said the current higher percentage of trees were predominantly Maples and non-fruit bearing pear trees and that the Village is no longer planting these. The new direction is that no one species shall have more than l0% planted in the Village ln order to create diversity. Larger trees will not be planted under power lines. Trces rvill be planted where people want them and will care for them.

At the 3100 block of Cullerton and the 3000 block of Cullerton, CRTI donated 39 trees; This past Arbor Day 60 trees were planted at the Franklin Park Library.

IRA Grant (A no match grant worth $109,770) was awarded to Franklin Park earlier this year West of Mannheim Residential Area (WMRA). a part of our village that faces significant challenges, such as a low tree canopy and limited green spaces. to plant trees, educate the community, and train future tree caregivers. Receipts are submitted post worlc/purchasing for reimbursement through grant.

Receipts w'ill be sent in every December and March and grant frrnding will be distributed post expenses incurred.

In addition, SFPFD Smolen is trying to get 80 to 100 trees to be planted in the WMRA area. It was discussed how w€ want our parkw'ays to look? A resident present at the meeting said he went door to door asking his neighbors if they wanted trees. He mentioned that he would be willing to go door to door to the blocks surrounding his street. Member Michael said Member Ambo will be creating a flyer with information on how to get a tree from our Village. Village Clerk Arellano suggested the flyer also be printed in Spanish to reach our Spanish speaking residents. Earmark a neighborhood that looks like it needs trees.

During the last storrn the Village had. w'e lost 47 trees. The recent emergence of the 17 year Cicada has an undetermined damage to our trees.

3. FPPL Head of Youth Services, Connie Meade, suggested October 3rd at 5:00 PM as the makeup date for the Bee Committee's event at the Franklin Park Public Library, canceled in July due to weather. Connie proposed Bees & Tree events collaboration at the library every quarter. For this quarter it will be the bee event. In either April, May or June of 2025 we can hold a Spring event about trees. The tree board would come in with exhibits like leaves that have been preserved and display them. The event would be an hour with the Tree Board taking up a half hour and then the library will do the other half hour. Connie would like to target the K-5 graders but that everyone will be welcome. The Tree Committee selected the month of June 2025 for this event at the library'. More discussion needs to be put in place for this event.

4. The Back to School event at James Park was a huge success. It was held on Saturday, August 10th from 4pm - 6pm. Coloring books, crayons, markers, pens and pencils were given out. The FPPD provided grilled hot dogs for the attendees. SFPFD Smolen, members Grahn and Michael, were in attendance. Bee Board member and Beekeeper Surovych brought her bee exhibit. Village Clerk April Arellano mentioned that there should be a Spanish speaking person at these events.

5. Regarding our upcoming October l2th, 2024, event in the community room has confirmed speakers Kelsay Shar*', Botanist and owner of Possibility Place; Brandie Dunn, XERCES society's volunteer Ambassador; Morton Arboretum will be sending a representative. Members Somlen, Noth, and SFPFD Smolen will work on gefting donations of sandwiches from either Jewel or Michelle Bakery. Member Fahey and Member Ambo will work on flyers to announce the event that Members can take to local businesses. Member Michael mentioned that she reached out to Triton College and has not heard back from them. She is going to email them directly. We need to contact East Leyden and get their environmental students involved. Member Michael asked Trustee Special if Dawn & Diane could include in the village newsletter a short biography regarding the speakers we're having.

6. The Tree Preservation Committee will have a kick-offevent for the IRA grant on October 5th, 2024, from l2pm-2pm at James Park and planting the lst tree. In the spirit of Fall it was suggested that we get tary apples (no nuts), hot chocolate, cookies. We can ask local politicians to show' up. We will ask the Park Disrict of Franklin Park for a donation, and MWEF & CRTI could do an activity, get a speaker to come out, and invite Morton Arboretum. Member Surorych can provide honey samples. SFPFD Smolen is going to ask MWRD to sponsor the donation of 250 taffy apples. Member Fahey will create a brochure for the event.

7. It was mentioned that we should hold another seed swap in 2025 and make people aware that they don't have to bring seeds if they don't have any. We will have plenty to share. It was also brought up that the event should be moved to the Community Center where there is more space. Event planning will be discussed in the near future.

8. SFPFD Smolen mentioned that an O'Hare Coalition region group is being formed, and he was asked to be a part of it by Varak Bosnoian, CRTI Stewardship Coordinator at The Morton Arboretum. The coalition will look into various issues including plantable location sites in the near suburban regions. Currently 18 planting locations are available on Franklin, and 2 near Hawthorne.

OTHER BUSINESS

None

PUBLIC COMMENT

Franklin Park Public Library Head of Youth Services, Connie Meade And a village resident

ADJOURNMENT

At 8:10 pm a motion to adjoum the meeting was made by member Grahn seconded by member Fahey

https://www.villageoffranklinpark.com/assets/1/7/Tree_Minutes_August_20,_2024.pdf