Meeting Minutes: November 15, 2023

Written By Ambler EAC


Attendees

Members: Hannah Lloyd, Wes Pipitone, Nancy Roecker-Coates, Kister Puskar, Matt Walker, Mark Setman, Will Nassau

Guests: Lisette Volkmar, Suscan Curry, Rick Denzien, Judy Baigis, Dennis Rowan, Mary Spross, Owen (and more with names not provided during introduction.)


  • Welcome to members and guests (7:00pm)

  • Attendance and Approval of Minutes

    1. All motioned to approve.

  • Old Business/Committee Reports

  • Park Signage (Nancy Roecker-Coates and Hannah Lloyd)

  • Timeline & due dates below. 

    1. November 1st: all initial layout rough draft critiques / suggestions were due. 

    2. December 1: Anyone who is writing copy: please have all written components to Hannah. 

      1. Tree copy needs to be written

      2. Native bird copy needs to be written

        1. Will please drop this into a Google doc with all wildlife copy for the EAC to edit

    3. Timeline question: Any approvers within Borough Council needing to see this, can / should we show them this sooner while still in progress in case they have any concerns that necessitate large revisions? 

      1. Send to Mary Aversa and Glynnis. 

      2. Time: Send when all text ifs final

      3. Week after Thanksgiving aim to send this out for above approval - Hannah 

    4. Will need invoice from Pannier to pay before end of year 

      1. Wes asked to have this within the first half of dec for budgetary efficiency

  • Need to discuss installation locations. 

    1. Mary may assist with this. 

    2. Next year initiative - no time pressure

    3. Will prioritize avoiding flood zones and maintenance areas

  • Be sure to have these signs distributed for final approval prior to order. 

    • Suggestion was made to have a full scale print out created for approval, time permitting. 

    • When would this be looked at and by who? Could we schedule a steering committee meeting?

      • First week of December 

      • Hannah to arrange time for this via email.

  • Sign sizes - Low Rise with basic T base

    • 36x24 (most common) $295-$320 Base $575

      • Size of sign #1

    • 24x18 $250 base $520 - this is the size of signs on the Green Ribbon Trail

      • Size of sign #2

  • Content

  • Sign #1: Brief introduction to the park and its history(Susan Curry), local wildlife highlights(foxes, woodpecker, and lightning bugs), native trees in the park carbon sequestration  and identification(Black Walnut, River Birch and Tulip Poplar.) Hannah wrote a draft of the tree piece(open for edits) and William the wildlife section

  • Sign #2: Riparian Buffer system, stream information with side highlights on litter and pollution side effects on the waterway Hannah will write this section with assistance from Nancy

B. Policy Discussion (Matt): 

Potential Policies to Advocate for in 2024 

Decision-making Matrix


Goals: 

  • Rank the policies, assess likelihood of success and our own bandwidth to work on these next year. 

  • Make a decision about which and how many policies to advocate for

  • Determine next steps to move this forward between now and the next meeting


  • Questions & public comments: 

    • Leaf blower ban: just blowers or also other lawn maintenance tools? A: All 

    • Comment: CCA for PA: Public comment made that this is high impact lower effort 

  • Action taken: EAC members all gave their first and second choice for initiatives from the above Policies to Advocate for list

  • Three top contenders: 

    • CCA for PA

    • Some form of green building code or LEED related initiative

    • Shade Tree Protection Ordinance 

    • Matt Walker - email the EAC to set up a working meeting to continue planning the above

C. Treasurer’s Report (Wes Piptone) 

  • 4,400 budget

  • Same budget as last year 

  • Budget meeting this coming Tuesday at 6:30. Open to the public

  • Some budget left after signage: a few hundred left over 

    • Tree planting budget 

    • Buy more T shirts for new members and volunteers- Hannah 

    • Will: Board game education for how to mitigate climate change for the future: would like to purchase this for EAC events “Day Break” $60 approx 

      • Public comment: Wissahickon student involvement opportunity 

D.Keep Ambler Beautiful (Chair: Nancy Roecker Coates)

                  1.  Cell phone recycling - ongoing 

  • Factory reset used cell phones and bring to the library where they will be sold to benefit the Laurel House 

    • Done in partnership with Whitpain EAC

E. Shade Tree Committee 

  • 5 trees planted in Knight Park: funded by EAC on 11/4

    1. Primarily Paw Paw trees

  • Make Ambler a Shade Better tree planting (Kirsten Puskar/Mark Setman) KP- Mark & KP toured and pruned in Ricardi Park with Dotti,  Street Trees (Kirsten Puskar) KP- Butler Ave trees’ lights strands were loosened. Will need to enlarge most of the beds, possibly add tree grates to walk on for tree health, schedule replacements yearly? 

    1. While the lights were loosened lower down, the lights still extend up into the canopy and that area has not been maintained. 

    2. When it comes time to remove and re-wrap some trees, maybe those trees could be unwrapped and then decorated with light up ornaments instead etc. 

    3. Tree bed covers can be used that allow water to penetrate through but are solid enough for walking and driving on. When the pits are widened, these can be purchased and placed on. 

    4. Replanting trees in succession as opposed to taking down and replanting a large number all at once. 

      1. Focus on trees that are ill or towards the end of their life space

      2. clauser will assist in advising for this 

      3. Nancy received approval to call around and get suggestions on transitioning our tree lights and will be focusing on this over the next few weeks 

      4. Public comment: a survey was done with municipalities that used grates and found that they were very expensive. Additional comment: money saved on the trees themselves could be put towards purchasing materials to install that ensure they will survive.

  • Comment on future tree plantings: There has been a lot of interest from the public on purchasing trees on private property. Will the EAC be making this program available for the public or just focus on parks and public property. 

  • Comment from the public: Newly planted trees are less likely to survive without frequent watering in the hot months and this requires commitment 


      F. Climate Action Committee 

  (Chair: Wes Pipitone, Members: Matt Walker) 

  • Covered above 

 

      G. Social Media (Nancy Roecker-Coates)

  • Nancy could use help creating content

      H. Ambler Borough Park - Kirsten 

KP- after visiting the park and reviewing the top desires listed by residents, perhaps improving the stairs and creating a sunny, welcoming lawn at the bottom with access to the creek is our first project, then the signage? Greg of RedTail Restoration agrees, there is encroachment in some areas of the park.

  • Trails will be marked in Spring

    • This will be used to have trail maintenance done and to have it more obvious again that there is in fact a trail there 

  • Railing is being added to the steps 

  • Recommendation to clear encroachment at the bottom of the stairs so it's easier to get from the stairs to the walkway

    • Public comment: there is no need to plant a lawn space at the bottom of the staircase and there is concern from some neighbors of the park that mature and young trees may be removed or that some of the naturalization may be removed to provide more walking space

    • Public comment: would like for the rain garden to be left undisturbed

      • One picnic table will likely be purchased and placed by the playground - hexagonal green table being looked at by the Borough 

  • Overgrowth: Kirsten is working with Red Tail restoration 

  • Invasives are being removed, such as stilt grass 

    • Can you plant anything to counter invasives? Small trees or perennials

    • Japanese knotweed is also a high population invasive

  • Riparian buffer maintenance? Grass and perennial section is creeping up into walkway but those are all native and beneficial 

     I.  Borough Council Update 

     J. Attending neighboring EAC Meetings(Judy Bagis) 

  • Whitpain EAC: Meetings are usually the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 5:30 PM in the Whitpain Township meeting room. But the dates sometimes vary, like our November meeting is set for November 1. 

    1. Nancy, Mark and Kirsten can attend in January 

      1. Possibly Will

    2. Judy will be in touch to verify this meeting date

  • Hatboro EAC has also expressed interest in hearing from us. 

IV. New Business

  • Public comments 

    1. none

  • Upcoming EAC Events

  • Penn State Extension Tree Tender Training Series

  • Next meeting: Wednesday January 17, 2024 at 7:00pm 

    • NO DECEMBER MEETING

  • Adjournment 

Ambler EAC
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