A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to debating the use of the Shade Tree Fund. Members expressed concerns over the lack of clear guidelines for the allocation and utilization of funds, particularly in relation to tree maintenance versus planting. The commission agreed that a separate budget for tree maintenance might be necessary to ensure the health and longevity of the town’s tree population. Further discussions were held on the need for a comprehensive tree program to address maintenance and planting comprehensively.

The fund’s usage was also scrutinized in terms of the rules governing it. There was a consensus that the decision-making power ultimately resides with the town manager, who is advised by the environmental commission and the Shade Tree Commission. The group highlighted the importance of having a clear schedule of activities to guide their annual plans and acknowledged the impact of external factors, such as hurricanes, on their tree planning and maintenance strategies.

The commission tackled the topic of a large tree encroaching on the sidewalk, agreeing to its removal due to declining health and the risk it posed to public safety. The conversation then shifted to who should be responsible for replacing the removed tree, with members suggesting that the township should assume this responsibility. The need for revisions to the shade tree ordinances was also discussed, with the aim to make them consistent with the MS4 permitting process and to address the anticipated changes to the state’s ordinance proposals. The commission considered the implementation timeline for the new ordinance, with January 2025 proposed as the target date.

Safety concerns were raised over two problematic trees on Mammoth Road, which were obstructing the site triangle at an intersection. The commission debated their removal and the possible need to stabilize the bank if a black walnut tree were to be removed. There were differing views on whether the tree posed a safety hazard significant enough to warrant removal.

Mayor John P. Napolitani, Sr. brought up issues with the current tree ordinance and its broad applicability across 521 municipalities, citing the need to tailor urban forestry programs to specific municipal needs. The accreditation with urban community forestry and the flexibility for municipalities to establish their own programs were discussed.

The commission was surprised by the results of a tree survey that identified 3,155 sites and 2,842 trees. The survey’s findings emphasized the need to prioritize further surveying and to seek additional funding to cover budget constraints that had limited the initial survey. An emphasis was placed on the importance of community engagement in decision-making processes related to tree planning and budgeting.

The potential formation of a Planning Group consisting of various stakeholders was proposed to enhance community involvement in tree planning and preservation efforts. The goal was to have a structured plan in place for submitting the budget and planning for the coming year.

Finally, the meeting addressed the importance of continuing education for commission members. A call for review of the draft plan and prepared input for the next meeting was issued to ensure that members were fulfilling the necessary continuing education requirements.