agenda and packet

POSTED DATE: JANUARY 21, 2026 ALL MEETING ATTENDANCE (OR ABSENCE) MUST BE CONFIRMED WITH A RESPONSE PLEASE RSVP YOUR ATTENDANCE TO THIS MEETING ASAP 920-846-4505 or Jfriedman@cityofocontofalls.wi.gov CITY OF OCONTO FALLS PARK & RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING Council Chambers, Municipal Building 500 N. Chestnut Ave. Oconto Falls, WI 54154 TUESDAY, JANUARY 27 4:30 PM AGENDA TO: Cathy Strom Devin Wirtz Jeff McDonald Citizen Appointment: Ken Harter Christine Grzelak Mayor Clint Braun Administrator Peter Wills Deputy Clerk Jenny Friedman DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION/ACTION ON ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. Call to order 2. Roll Call 3. Elect Park & Rec Chair 4. Approval of Minutes-July 29, 2025 5. Beach Bathroom Updates-Oconto County ARP A Recreation Grant Re: Street Superintendent Remic 6. Memorial Field Planning Re: Street Superintendent Remic A. Farmers Market at Memorial Field . B. Longterm planning for Memorial F � 'eld Park 7. Adjourn --=- . ------ City Administrator Peter A. Wills/JF * A quorum of the Common Council may be in attendance of this meeting. * A quorum of the Utility Commission may be in attendance at this meeting. Notice was given to the public at least 24 hours prior to this open meeting - agenda was forwarded to newspapers and any news media who have requested the same - agenda was posted at City Hall, Oconto Falls Community Library, and on the City website at: cityofocontofalls.com. Copy of agenda packet is available for inspection at the Office of the City Clerk. Any person wishing to attend the meeting who requires special accommodations because of a disability should contact the Clerk's office at 920-846-4505 with adequate notice so appropriate accommodations can be made, L Park & Rec Committee Meeting –July 29, 2025 5:00pm Page 1 CITY OF OCONTO FALLS PARK & REC COMMITTEE MEETING Council Chambers - Municipal Building 500 N. Chestnut Ave. Oconto Falls, WI 54154 Tuesday July 29, 2025 – 5:00 PM Minutes Meeting called to order at 5:00 PM by Mathew McDermid Roll Call: Mathew McDermid, Ken Harter, Devin Wirtz and Jeff McDonald Absent: Christine Grzelak Also Present: Mayor Clint Braun, City Administrator Peter Wills, Deputy Clerk Jenny Friedman, Street Superintendent Wally Remic DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION/ACTION ON ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Elect Park & Rec Chair MOTION: McDonald/Wirtz Motion to elect Mat McDermid for Park and Rec chair. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 4. Approval of Minutes-September 3, 2024 MOTION: Wirtz/ McDonald Motion to approve the minutes from September 03,2024. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 5. 2025 WI DNR Urban Forestry Plan Draft Review and update a. Approval Eocene Environmental group and WI DNR did the tree inventory and urban forestry operations plan was conducted during the summer of 2025. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) Urban Forestry & Community Forestry (U&CF) Program provided funding to complete a GIS-based-computerized tree inventory. Trees growing in maintained public locations (e.g., street trees, parks, and other public green spaces) were inventoried. In brief, this involved collecting tree and site information, which was then assessed for tree management needs. The identified actions were then compiled into an operations plan for proposed tree actions over a five-year period. Eocene Environmental Park & Rec Committee Meeting –July 29, 2025 5:00pm Page 2 Group was contracted to complete the inventory and operations plan for the City of Oconto Falls. This includes but is not limited to recommended field maintenance operations over a five-year time duration. Trees requiring pruning or removal were identified as primary and secondary maintenance operations for each individual inventoried tree throughout the community. A total of 1145 trees were inventoried. By location there were 859 trees along streets, 263 trees within parks, and 22 on facilities. Public safety is important and as such trees were identified for tree removal based on potential risk from dead trees, those with unacceptable structural weakness, or those likely to die in the immediate future. A total of 146 trees were identified for removal and these were prioritized for removal as either a priority 1 (46 trees) to remove first, and then remove trees identified as priority 2 (100 trees). Trees that require pruning for public safety (e.g., dead branches > 2 inches, clearance issues) or to benefit tree stability (e.g., pruning for branching structure) were identified and prioritized. A total 209 trees were identified. These were also ranked according to priority 1 or 2 status. Small trees were also identified for structural tree pruning which would benefit their future stability and resistance to damage from storms. Planting sites along streets, in terrace areas, and parks were individually identified. An estimated 2,605 trees could be planted along streets and within parks. This potential could be considered for a full-stocking goal for the community at the present level of development. A total of 73 trees are identified as ash trees (green and white). Nearly all showed signs of EAB and removal is noted as a priority 1 or 2 as presented above. Ideally, the tree population should be comprised of not more than 5% of any one species, 10% of any one genus, and 20% within a plant family. This is important to minimize the risk of an aggressive pest of decimating a tree population. Currently 5 tree species exceed the species threshold and these account for 53.8 percent of the total tree population. These species are: Norway maple (15.5%), silver maple (8.7%), honeylocust (6.6%), red pine (6.5%), Eastern white pine (5.9%), white spruce (5.5%), and Northern white cedar (5.2%). Specific details on tree diversity are presented in the plan. The total estimated replacement value of all trees inventoried is $3,794,302 or a mean $3,314 per tree estimate. This was determined by using the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers Guide for Plant Appraisal (10th Edition) to determine valuation. An annual $45,327 estimated cost is proposed to implement immediate management needs and to develop a proposed longer-term set of management priorities. Wally Remic has been selected to participate in Wisconsin’s Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI). This innovative program offers municipal employees the opportunity to develop high-level leadership and management skills in urban forestry. Wally Remic has been selected to participate in Wisconsin’s Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI). This innovative program offers municipal employees the opportunity to develop high-level leadership and management skills in urban forestry. This training and experience he will gain will help with the maintaining of the city trees. MOTION: Wirtz/ McDonald Motion to approve the 2025 WI DNR Urban Forestry Plan Draft with the adjustments to table one with the budget spread out over a greater number of years. Voice Vote: All voting aye -MOTION CARRIED 6. Memorial Field updates Park & Rec Committee Meeting –July 29, 2025 5:00pm Page 3 a. Memorial Field Playground Equipment Installation Status The new playground equipment for Memorial Field has been installed. The woodchips still have to be placed around the playground equipment. The public has been using since it has been installed. The old playground equipment was inspected for safety to see if it could be utilized at another park. The old playground equipment was found to be not safe and will be disposed of properly. NO ACTION TAKEN b. Farmers Market at Memorial Field Farmers Market has been at Memorial Field for the first time this year and is going very well. NO ACTION TAKEN c. Memorial Field Tennis Courts Proposal The tennis courts in the city limits have not been updated since they were installed. The courts have been monitored for use this summer and have been utilized by people. The determination of how the city would like to proceed with the tennis courts needs to be decided. NO ACTION TAKEN d. Longterm planning for Memorial Field Park Memorial Field has had many changes in the last couple years. With these changes it is time to look into the best option for this area. NO ACTION TAKEN 7. Pineview Tennis Courts Proposal The tennis courts in the city limits have not been updated since they were installed. The courts have been monitored for use this summer and have been utilized by people. The determination of how the city would like to proceed with the tennis courts needs to be decided. NO ACTION TAKEN 8. 2025 WI DNR Urban Forestry Catastrophic Storm Grant received Street Superintendent Remic worked with the fire department and utilities after the ice storm in March to clean up the city and gather information on how much damage was cause and the cost of it. Street Superintendent Remic then applied all the data to the grant and submitted it. The 2025 WI DNR Urban Forestry Catastrophic Storm Grant was granted to the City of Oconto Falls for a total of fourteen thousand three hundred and twenty-two dollars and seventy-four cents. NO ACTION TAKEN 9. Adjournment. Having no further business, Mathew McDermid declared the meeting adjourned at 5:47 pm. ____________________________ City Administrator Peter Wills *A quorum of Common Council was not in attendance at this meeting.