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Welcome everybody. I'd like to call to

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order the tree commission for Thursday,

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March 5th, 2026. First item on the

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agenda is roll call. Um we'll go around

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and just introduce ourselves. Joe, you

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want to start us off?

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» Joe Saleam, city engineer

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» Leaking off. Uh, Commissioner Jordi

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Vite, Commissioner Miriam Waldner,

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Commissioner

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» Joey Schugle, Park and Recreation

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Director for the City of New. Right.

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Thank you and welcome everybody. Um,

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next item on the agenda then is the

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approval of our agenda. Um,

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be looking for a motion and second.

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» Second.

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» A motion.

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» Okay.

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» Second.

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» Okay. Motion and second to approve our

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agenda. Any other questions or

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discussion?

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All in favor say I.

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» I.

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» I.

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» Approve. Motion carries.

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Um, next item on the agenda then is the

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approval of minutes. Um, and we did not

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have a January meeting, so it's looking

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for the minutes for November 6. Um,

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anybody have any questions or changes?

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» No. And I make a [snorts] motion to

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approve the minutes from the November

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6th meeting.

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» Second. Have a motion and second to

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approve the minutes from the November

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6th, 2025 meeting. Any other questions

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or discussion? Right. All in favor say

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I.

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» I.

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» I.

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» Oppos. Motion carries.

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All right. First item under old business

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is our city reimbursement program and

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budget updates. Um Jill, whenever you're

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ready.

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» All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair,

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commission members. Um [clears throat]

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the 2026 budget was uh budget sheet was

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included within your agenda packets

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today. Um the city council did approve

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the carryover for those unused diseal

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um that 75,000 that was left in the

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budget from last year. So right now we

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are looking at a budget amount available

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to us of $89,000 um just just over

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$89,000 but the bulk of bulk of that is

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earmarked for uh disease tree removal.

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Okay, thank you. Any questions or

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no? All right. Um then we will move on

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to report um park and recck department.

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» Thank you, Mr. Chair. Commissioners, uh

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a few items to to update you on. Um

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first off, there's roughly about 30 ash

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trees left in on city park property. Uh

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so that's greatly um reduced from where

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we started. uh that was due to both

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contracted removals and our department

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staff also having uh wherewithal to

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remove some of those some of those

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disease trees as well. Uh our goal is to

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um

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over the next 1 to two years um

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hopefully have that number down to only

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treated. We we do have a few trees that

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have been treated over the years. If you

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think about near the German Park

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amphitheater, we have a couple ash trees

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that have been treated. um and

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potentially looking at North Park um in

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areas where people uh congregate and use

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shade for watching ball games and stuff

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like that. So um but that number is

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expected to um reduce here over this

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this summer yet again and then

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potentially um in a couple years we may

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not have any ash trees in parks. So it

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just depends on how they react to th

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those treatments, the ones that are

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being treated. Uh, additionally on that,

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uh, our crews are are have have done

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some trimming over the winter, uh,

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especially on the on the bike trail and

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different areas where mowers are

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impacted. Uh, we'll continue to do that

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as, uh, weather allows. Uh, it's getting

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to be a tough time to get in some of the

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turf areas to do that. Um, but if

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opportunity presents itself, that will

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be continued. Um and then I I I wanted

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to end the report um with just kind of

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an update on tree commission and some of

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the things that city council has talked

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about. And uh I think all of you are are

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aware that uh there has been some

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discussion of

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overall city reduction of commissions.

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There's 13 city commissions currently

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and looking at are there ways to not

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lose what those commissions do but also

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either merge or or find a a a different

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avenue to do that uh do that same work

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that is being done. So um there no

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decision has been made yet. You know the

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mayor is is is in charge of city

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commissions. uh she has asked staff um

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recommendations or how this could look

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um if the tree commission wasn't around.

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And uh one of the things that I did tell

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her is um as Mayor Ber uh one of the

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things I had said is the park and rec

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commission could take on the the

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business of what the tree commission

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does with um some placeholders for

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advisory members and you know um none of

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those details have been pursued. That

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would have to be a council action item

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to to take that. Um but if they would

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take that route then we'd anticipate

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inviting those advisory members when

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there is tree related business to be

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conducted. So it wouldn't necessarily be

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every month um but it could be if there

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is um is that so um I don't know if it's

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advisory member members what that could

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potentially look like but um again no

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decisions been made. It has been talked

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about at a work session uh to this point

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and I I think it would is going to come

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back to council at some point, but

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that's where we're at as of today, which

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is March 5th.

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» Okay.

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» So, any questions on any of

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» I'd be interested in

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joining over, you know. Sure. Yeah.

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» Great. Yeah. So, and then then if if we

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do take that step, then we would have to

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look at what that process looks like.

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And then and certainly um one thing that

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I did want to add in that is I

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appreciate your commitment to this

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commission. Um and it is important stuff

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that we're doing um and we do know that

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we're addressing things outside of parks

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as well on on this commission. So, that

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would be something um new for the the

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park and recck commission.

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» Sure. So,

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» So Joey, then I take it the plan is for

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the ash trees that are currently

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treated. You're just going to continue

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with that until there's a point where it

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doesn't make sense or they start not

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doing well kind of.

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» Great question, Mr. Chair. I I think

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we're looking at um you know, how

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they're responding each year. You know,

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every year is a little different. So, um

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looking at that and if they are

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continuing to respond, I mean that that

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is something that we would plan to

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continue.

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» Yes.

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» Okay. Good. Any other questions from any

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other commissioners?

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» All right. Um item 5.3, public works

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update. Um anybody?

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» Mr. Chair, I do have a couple updates

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from uh Mr. Huffman and commissioners.

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Uh so Mr. Huffman uh did just want me,

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he couldn't be here today, but he did

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just wanted me to update that his crews

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were busy trimming over the winter as

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normal uh conditions um have allowed

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them to take care of a good number of of

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uh what they normally hit over a normal

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winter. Um in addition to stump

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grinding, I think last meeting and you

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saw in the meetings they they only had

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about 30 stumps left. Um

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they are they do still have some stumps

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left but they have reduced that number

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as well. I don't have the exact number.

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Um but that was the the public works

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report for today.

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» Okay. Good.

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» All right. Um next then would be our

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private tree service update. Um Tony's

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not here and I guess Joey doesn't have

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anything. So we'll move on to item 5.5.

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Um emerald ashbor update. Joe.

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» All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair,

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commission members. our city tree

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inspector uh Mr. Anderson up in my

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office uh did update our EAB numbers. So

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just sharing that and that was it's was

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also on the budget reimburse um budget

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form too. You may have seen that. But

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we're estimating about 273

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uh boulevard ash trees remaining um

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within the city and approximately 58 ash

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trees on city property remain. So we

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were we submitted that DNR grant. So,

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uh, unfortunately, we were not, uh,

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awarded a grant award for the EAB

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removals, but we will, uh, keep trying.

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» Yeah. When the next grant opens up next

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year. So,

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» Okay. Okay.

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» I'm assuming too when you're doing your

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utility construction, [clears throat]

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if there's ash in those areas, that's

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kind of focusing as well.

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» Correct. Yep. Yep. Yeah. If there's uh

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um, well, you'll see it in 2027 on

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Garden Street between Center and Fifth.

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A lot of those trees are in very poor

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shape. So, that corridor is going to

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look much different, but we'll get those

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diseased trees out of out of the roadway

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corridor there. But, that's standard

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practice in all uh street and utility

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reconstructs if we get those bad trees

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out.

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» Okay, good. Any other questions?

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All right, we'll move on to item 5.6

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then, uh, utility billing information

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inserts, which is coming up fast.

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» Yeah. Uh, Mr. Mr. Chair, commissioners,

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I I think um with this item, uh I think

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some of the decisions made in new

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business might impact the the insert,

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but I um usually our the tree advisory

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commission's time for the uh utility

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insert is April. Uh so if there are some

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decisions to move forward with the big

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tree contest and potentially do the same

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thing we did last year as having the

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disease tree removal program on one side

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of it as well then um we would just need

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to make uh some motions under new

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business to do that and then we would

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carry that forward in April.

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» Okay.

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» Okay. Um with that said then I will move

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on to new business. Um item 6.1 is the

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home show. Um we haven't had a meeting,

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but we typically have done the home show

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in the past. Um so I guess uh Joy, did

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you have something you wanted to start

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us off with?

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» Yeah. So, Mr. Chair, commissioners, um

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the home health and recreation show is

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in your approved budget uh to

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participate in that. Um there there have

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been a number of years that the tree

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commission has been represented. There

270
00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,600
are also has been some years that the

271
00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,320
tree commission has not been represented

272
00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:06,400
as well. um even with those budgeted

273
00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:08,799
dollars in there. Um so the the show is

274
00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:11,679
March 27th from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. and

275
00:26:08,799 --> 00:26:14,400
March 28th from 9 to 4:00 p.m. If you

276
00:26:11,679 --> 00:26:16,159
recall last year um everyone split up

277
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,240
shifts and staffed that and and

278
00:26:16,159 --> 00:26:19,840
commissioners have staffed that and

279
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:22,080
obviously you look around the table and

280
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:25,360
there are less commissioners this year.

281
00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:28,240
Um, I did talk to our advisory member,

282
00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:29,840
Tony Guggisburg, who is also on the

283
00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:32,640
planning committee for the home health

284
00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:36,720
and recreation show, and he says there

285
00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:39,360
are options to have booths that are not

286
00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:41,919
staffed as well or a combination of not

287
00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:44,640
staffed. And he he also he did make the

288
00:26:41,919 --> 00:26:47,120
comment to me that sometimes those

289
00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:49,039
unstaffed booths go over better because

290
00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:50,880
people will grab the information cuz

291
00:26:49,039 --> 00:26:54,320
they're not necessarily pressured. that

292
00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:56,000
that came from him, not my opinion. So,

293
00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:58,559
um so that is something to think about.

294
00:26:56,000 --> 00:27:00,720
That's why uh on this item um if the

295
00:26:58,559 --> 00:27:03,520
commission does move forward, uh there

296
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,279
isn't certainly pressure to cover all

297
00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:09,760
the hours of the home show if there's a

298
00:27:05,279 --> 00:27:10,880
desire um or no hours or a hybrid appro

299
00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:14,080
approach if

300
00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:15,360
» I won't be here that week be around. So,

301
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,960
» So

302
00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:18,480
» I'll be I [clears throat] I can be

303
00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:21,120
around. and I can help set up and tear

304
00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:23,760
down and if we do, you know, a couple

305
00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:26,000
hours to staff it, we can do that. So,

306
00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:31,120
» Yeah. And I'm sure I can get some time

307
00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:33,600
in there Friday and or Saturday as well.

308
00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:34,400
I guess it's up to the commission what

309
00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,320
you want to do.

310
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:39,600
» I think we should have a presence there

311
00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:41,520
just to promote the uh the the

312
00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:42,720
reimbursement program. Again,

313
00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,320
» That's a good point,

314
00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,080
» You know, because a lot of people still

315
00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,480
don't know about it and how it works.

316
00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,080
So,

317
00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:50,159
» And and there are a lot of dollars in

318
00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,919
the budget, you know, for that program

319
00:27:50,159 --> 00:27:54,159
and um

320
00:27:51,919 --> 00:27:54,799
» That can help greatly reduce our disease

321
00:27:54,159 --> 00:27:57,200
trees.

322
00:27:54,799 --> 00:28:01,520
» There's yeah, still a lot of ash trees

323
00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:03,360
to work on and boulevards and that. So,

324
00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,880
» So if there is a desire, we would we

325
00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:06,799
would need a motion for that. And then

326
00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:09,200
if that is the case, then staff would go

327
00:28:06,799 --> 00:28:10,720
forward and get us registered for that

328
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,640
event.

329
00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:15,120
I'll make a motion that we uh

330
00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:18,960
participate in the uh home and health

331
00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:20,960
and recreation show March 27th and 28th.

332
00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:23,600
» Second. Okay. Have a motion and second

333
00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:26,159
to participate in the 2026 home health

334
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:28,159
and recreation show in March. Any other

335
00:28:26,159 --> 00:28:29,919
questions or discussion?

336
00:28:28,159 --> 00:28:30,399
» Right. All in favor say I.

337
00:28:29,919 --> 00:28:32,960
» I.

338
00:28:30,399 --> 00:28:35,600
» Opposed. Motion carries.

339
00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:39,360
Um do we need to before I move on to

340
00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:41,200
6.2, two. Do we need to talk about um

341
00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,720
information and that stuff that we want

342
00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:44,720
there

343
00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,159
or you want to

344
00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,880
» Commissioners if you're if you're

345
00:28:46,159 --> 00:28:50,960
comfortable with um a lot of the

346
00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:53,520
materials that we've done in the past

347
00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,520
within reason within budget. Um you do

348
00:28:53,520 --> 00:29:00,720
have budgeted dollars for printing costs

349
00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:04,480
as well um in our approved 2026 budget.

350
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:07,360
um that normally what we would do is do

351
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:09,520
the utility insert and also materials

352
00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:13,760
for the home show at the same time. Uh

353
00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:16,240
since timing lines up and uh

354
00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:18,000
and banners and things like that, uh I

355
00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,840
can provide it set up, too. So, I'm

356
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,679
happy to

357
00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,440
start to work on some of that if if

358
00:29:21,679 --> 00:29:24,960
that's a desire of the commission.

359
00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,440
» That would work for us.

360
00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:30,240
» Yep. Yep. Sounds good. All right. Thank

361
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:32,159
you. Um then kind of along that lines,

362
00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:34,799
one of our annual things is the big tree

363
00:29:32,159 --> 00:29:36,799
contest. So item 6.2.

364
00:29:34,799 --> 00:29:40,320
Um looks like submissions are due by

365
00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:44,000
July 31st, 2026. But we also need to

366
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:46,960
decide on a spec species. Yes. Um so in

367
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:51,840
your agenda was the list of previous

368
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:53,760
species from 2009 to 2025 along with

369
00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:56,799
some of the number of submissions. So

370
00:29:53,760 --> 00:30:00,000
some of the recents uh from 2025 was

371
00:29:56,799 --> 00:30:04,159
GKO. Then we did elm in 2024, river

372
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:06,559
birch in 2023, hickory in 2022, Kentucky

373
00:30:04,159 --> 00:30:10,880
coffee tree in 2021.

374
00:30:06,559 --> 00:30:14,440
Um, and then Ohio Buckeye would be 2020,

375
00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,440
just as a refresher.

376
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:33,039
So,

377
00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:35,919
have any ideas on what we want to do

378
00:30:33,039 --> 00:30:37,600
this year? Obviously, we're going to be

379
00:30:35,919 --> 00:30:39,200
doing probably repeating something we've

380
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,320
done in the past, but

381
00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:44,320
» Yeah, I think we will be repeating

382
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:46,640
um

383
00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:48,640
we have not done it does not and any

384
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:50,159
anybody can correct me if I'm misreading

385
00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:52,880
quickly looking at this, but we have not

386
00:30:50,159 --> 00:30:55,279
done like oak, maple, hackberry.

387
00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:57,039
» I was going to say hackberry.

388
00:30:55,279 --> 00:30:59,360
» Yeah.

389
00:30:57,039 --> 00:31:02,000
» Okay, we can do hackberry.

390
00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:03,200
» Hackberry. Okay. All right. I think so.

391
00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:06,799
Um, [clears throat] so then we would be

392
00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:10,760
looking for a motion on the species for

393
00:31:06,799 --> 00:31:10,760
the big tree contest.

394
00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,686
» Hi. [laughter]

395
00:31:14,799 --> 00:31:17,919
» Back and forth. I'll make a motion that

396
00:31:16,399 --> 00:31:21,840
we uh

397
00:31:17,919 --> 00:31:23,679
» Pick hackberry for the 2026 uh big tree

398
00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,840
contest.

399
00:31:23,679 --> 00:31:27,840
» Okay. And you second. All right. So, we

400
00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:30,399
have a motion and second for hackberry

401
00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:32,316
to be the tree species for the 2026 big

402
00:31:30,399 --> 00:31:32,480
tree contest. That would be a good one.

403
00:31:32,316 --> 00:31:34,480
[snorts]

404
00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:36,960
» Any other questions or discussion?

405
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,480
» And normally Mr. Anderson prepares those

406
00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:38,960
materials for that uh

407
00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:41,039
» Yep.

408
00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:43,039
» For that contest. So, he would hopefully

409
00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:44,720
start working on that so we can

410
00:31:43,039 --> 00:31:46,240
» Have those available for print for the

411
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,320
insert and a home show.

412
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,760
» You can email Jeff. You know, I'll be

413
00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:50,960
out next week. Yep. You'll be able to

414
00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,200
take care of it. No problem.

415
00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:55,600
» Needs help or anything, just, you know,

416
00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:58,640
feel free to reach out as well. So, yep.

417
00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:01,600
Okay. Um, so have a motion and second.

418
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:03,840
Any other questions or discussion? All

419
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,159
right. All in favor say I.

420
00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:04,880
» I.

421
00:32:04,159 --> 00:32:07,360
» I.

422
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:10,480
» Motion carried.

423
00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:15,279
Um, continuing on then with new business

424
00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:18,000
um would be we 6.3 the tree walk program

425
00:32:15,279 --> 00:32:19,679
um which we did last year. Um so I guess

426
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:23,000
we're looking for some discussion. Is

427
00:32:19,679 --> 00:32:23,000
there interest?

428
00:32:23,519 --> 00:32:25,760
Joy looks like you have something to

429
00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,640
say. [laughter]

430
00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:30,399
» Mr. Chair, Commissioner. Well, um I

431
00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:33,679
haven't heard recently from the League

432
00:32:30,399 --> 00:32:35,760
of Women Voters on this. Um I know they

433
00:32:33,679 --> 00:32:39,120
uh they really spearheaded getting this

434
00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:41,919
program started. Um at our last meeting

435
00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:44,080
in November, there was some interest in

436
00:32:41,919 --> 00:32:45,440
potentially doing that again. Uh but

437
00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:48,880
again, it's totally up to this

438
00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:52,480
commission on if

439
00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:54,720
if able um to to look at a program, but

440
00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:57,279
we don't need to make a decision today.

441
00:32:54,720 --> 00:33:00,000
Uh uh as of now we do have a meeting

442
00:32:57,279 --> 00:33:02,399
scheduled in May again which could be a

443
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:04,000
nice timeline to implement something if

444
00:33:02,399 --> 00:33:05,679
there was interest. So really looking

445
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,440
for that today.

446
00:33:05,679 --> 00:33:09,039
» I think maybe we should see if the

447
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,240
League of Women Voters are interested in

448
00:33:09,039 --> 00:33:12,320
doing it again.

449
00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:14,640
» You know somebody can get in contact

450
00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:16,720
with them and uh see if they want to do

451
00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,000
it and we can talk about that in May if

452
00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:21,000
we have a meeting.

453
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,000
» Yep.

454
00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,200
» I think that's a good idea.

455
00:33:23,679 --> 00:33:26,399
» Okay. Yeah.

456
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:29,519
» Yep.

457
00:33:26,399 --> 00:33:30,880
» No motion or nothing for that. I'll get

458
00:33:29,519 --> 00:33:34,720
on that one.

459
00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:38,000
» All right. Um item 6.4 then be

460
00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:42,000
commissioner reports. Anybody else have

461
00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:46,559
anything else to add?

462
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:49,840
Nope. All right. Um then the date of our

463
00:33:46,559 --> 00:33:51,120
next meeting would be May again. Um I

464
00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,279
forgot to look at the date. I think

465
00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:58,320
Jill's going to look at that. um at 400

466
00:33:53,279 --> 00:34:01,039
p.m. I'll wait for him to grab the date.

467
00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:03,919
» That would be Thursday, May 7th.

468
00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:06,480
» May 7th. So, next day we're meeting th

469
00:34:03,919 --> 00:34:09,839
Thursday, May 7th at 4 p.m. here in the

470
00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:11,599
city council chambers. Um otherwise,

471
00:34:09,839 --> 00:34:14,879
that is everything for today. So, thank

472
00:34:11,599 --> 00:34:17,879
everybody for coming. Um and we are

473
00:34:14,879 --> 00:34:17,879
adjourned.