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Menomonie Urban Forestry Board Minutes Wednesday, June 17, 2026 @ 1:00pm – Council Chambers 1st Floor - City Hall –in Menomonie, Wisconsin Committee Members Naomi Cummings (2.0 hrs.) Keith Gilland (1.0 hrs.) Barbara Hauck (2.0 hrs.) Monika Herrmann (2.0 hrs.) Liz Usborne (Chair) (3.0 hrs.) Dave Williams (2.0 hrs.) Lee Schwebs (1.0 hrs.) Porter Swartz (1.0 hrs.) Nolan Dowd (0.0 hrs.) Ryland Erdman (0.0 hrs.) Others present: Judy Zimmerman (Guest), Megen Hines, Derek Kahl, and Tammy Eckert Roll Call: Chair Usborne called the meeting to order. Roll call was taken, and volunteer hour logs were distributed to all attending board members for completion. Public comments: Gilland presented a student of his , Nora Shires attending to observe the board meeting today. Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the May 20, 2026, meeting was approved by Cummings and seconded by Hauck. No objections received. OLD BUSINESS: UW-Stout Campus Exterior Development Committee: Gilland and Dowd provided an update; there are no notable developments at this time. Urban Forestry Board Welcome Packet : The Chair and the Board thanked Hauck and Hines for their great work on the Welcome Packet draft. Following the Board's review, the board asks to incorporate the following edits: Change "man" to "humans" , include "insects" and "bees" as wildlife benefiting from the habitat, and update new member requirements to state that candidates should show a real commitment to or interest in the City of Menomonie’s present and future Urban Forestry. Hines will email the final version to the Board once these updates are integrated. Usborne made a motion to accept these editorial changes and to post the finalized packet to the city website when Board approves the motion to do so. Herrmann seconded the motion. Motion passed. NEW BUSINESS: July Field Trip: Gilland made a motion to hold a field trip to go out and see in person Urban Forestry practices and landscape comp leted in the city in lieu of an indoor meeting on Wednesday, July 15 th. The motion was seconded by Cummings . Motion passed unanimously . Board Members and interested community members will meet and start the tour at Phelan Park at 1:00 p.m . Following that; a visit to the Legacy tree planting locations on 12th Ave W. If time allows the attendees will head to the Galloway Project Area (corner of 4 th St and 16 th Ave), then to previous Arbor Day location plantings and Riverside Park. Trillion Trees Planting Pledge : Chair Usborne presented the DNR website to the board, demonstrating its functionality and providing an update on the city’s tree -planting initiatives. Usborne was able to successfully add the 300 trees recently planted in Phelan Park to the Wisconsin DNR’s Trillion Trees map, along with plantings from last year’s Arbor Day and the Legacy Trees located throughout the City. Looking ahead, the board may consider inviting a guest speaker to provide further information regarding this ten - year Wisconsin DNR project. Parking Lot Items: The board discussed the following items for addition or completion; Add: Carbon Credit Exploration : Review and update the exploration of carbon credits for city -owned “forests”. Add: Forestry Education Program : Usborne proposed a public education event featuring a speaker from Platteville. The presentation could include cover tree -ring forensics (including the 1,100 -year-old cedars at Devils Lake State Park) and local climate trends, such as increased precipitation. Coordinate this for the fall in partnership with the library and the Rassbach Museum. Discuss coverage of speaker’s travel expenses. Add: Landscape Ordinance : Review the landscape ordinance with Public Works Director relating to future building plans and approval of green space required in their landscaping plans and what part if any does the Urban Forestry Board have . Add: Main Street Tree Management : Discuss adding mature maples along Main Street and develop a strategy for addressing potential community emotional attachment to existing trees and how to tackle this issue in the future. Add: Tree Identification Project : This includes identifying and labeling trees using biodegradable ties/tags for legacy trees located near sidewalks. Add: Revisit/Education on Roberts Rules : Add: Adding Reoccurring events that would stay permanently in the Agenda for the Urban Forestry Board’s monthly topics to discuss. Remove: Field Trip - if weather permitted . Urban Forester Report: City Forester Kahl reported that Spring tree planting was completed this May. Recent storms resulted in the loss of several trees. In response to inquiries from the Board regarding the health of the trees planted last fall, Forester Kahl reported that only three trees did not survive: two in North Menomonie and one in Phelan Park. City Council Report: Erdman had no reports. Items for Next Meeting Agenda – July Agenda: Will be brief; there will be an Open and Adjournment at the outdoor location due to the field trip planned. August Agenda content; Field Trip Status/Discussion; Budget Review; Welcome Packet Finalization and possible motion to approve it. Next Meeting : - July 15 th at 1:00 p.m. Phelan Park (Field Trip to Study Urban Forestry practices on site(s). Adjournment: Gilland made a motion to adjourn ; seconded by Usborne. Meeting adjourned. Minutes: T. Eckert