CITY PARKS, RECREATION & CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting held Tuesday, October 3, 2017
PROCEEDINGS BY AUTHORITY
State of New York, City of Jamestown
The regular meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Commission of the City of Jamestown, New York, was held on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 5:00 in Jamestown New York.
Those present representing the Commission were:
Commissioner Dave Anderson
Commissioner John Bauer
Commissioner Russ Diethrick
Commissioner Cindy DiNapoli
Commissioner Kimberly Ecklund
Others Present:
Julia Ciesla-Hanley, Recreation Coordinator
Dan Stone, Arborist
Absent:
Commissioner Chris Prinzi
Commissioner George Spitale
Commissioner James Ventura
Commissioner Jim Walsh
Commissioner Jason Stronz
The meeting was called to order by Cindy DiNapoli.
Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting.
A motion was made by Commissioner Bauer and seconded by Commissioner Ecklund to approve the minutes of the September 5, 2017 meeting. Carried.
Opportunity for Persons to Address Commission.
None.
Reports of Committees and Projects.
Report from the Riverfront Management Council/Riverwalk Project Update: Julia said she attended the BPU’s Strategic Planning meeting where Chautauqua Lake Watershed Management Alliance Executive Director Erin Brickley provided an update on a river clean-up project. Julia said the City of Jamestown via the BPU received a grant from the CLWMA to remove debris from the Chadakoin River between McCrea Point Park and Panzarella Park. Vince Liuzzo, a local urban arborist, will be contracted to help do the project. Julia said she understood permits have been applied for and the DEC has approved taking out 48 trees with only 3 trees needing a permit for removal. Dave Anderson said a lot of kayakers use the river and this clean-up will help. He and Roger Tory Peterson Institute Executive Director Twan Leenders are advocating a natural habitat restoration. Dave said Twan was surprised by the amount of wildlife on the river. They’re trying to balance business and commercial needs with ecosystem needs as well as what’s happening in the county with land use policies. Dave said Twan is going after grants to rehabilitate the river and protect the Riverwalk path. Dan Stone says it’s hard to keep up with river clean-up. Russ Diethrick asked if the project was bid out. Julia didn’t know. Russ asked Dan S. if he’s involved with the project. Dan said he’s not and while he hates that he’s not the one doing the work, he and crews can’t get to it themselves. Cindy DiNapoli encouraged Dan to talk to the BPU about it. Russ asked about safety along the Riverwalk. Dan said it should be safe for kids. Dave said there are things cities can’t be sued for, but corporation counsel should know the answer there. Dan said that there are designated paths. Kim Ecklund said there should be a check on if signage is needed with City Corporation Counsel Marilyn Fiore-Lehman. Dan thinks signage is being created for when the path is completed.
The Board of Public Utilities is looking into removing the sheeting near the south shore while they have cranes to help take it out. Currently, they’re getting permits to do that. The sheeting has no use now that the BPU has switched from using coal.
Dave Anderson said that Chautauqua County Soil & Water is working on a grant to put in permeable pavement to help prevent erosion along with putting in swales. He said the riverfront is eligible for state monies for rehabilitation. Russ Diethrick asked if the cost to put in a pipe to divert run-off from the hospital hill before it hits the river would make sense. Dave said that would create other issues and they’d rather have the water filter through the ground than go directly from a pipe into the river.
Dan Stone said the pedestrian bridge sections for the bike path are being delivered this week with installation starting Thursday. Russ Diethrick asked the clearance heights of the bridges. Julia said it’s 10 feet at the highest point.
Dan said the bike path overlook concrete pad was poured this week. The path will be paved in the Spring. Dan said the crushed stone is down already, so the path is usable. Dave Anderson said residents are interested in donating land to the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy near the bike path. Dan said 100 ash trees that were causing a hazard were cut down by the bike path entrance. He will be doing plantings in the Spring.
Tree Update: Dan Stone put in an order for 182 trees today. The prices have gone up over the last 8 years from $62 a tree to $87. He’s been buying smaller trees and bare root trees. He’s had good luck with the bare root. Only 20 the bunch he bought are not bare root this time. Dan said he can get them in easier too, which is good because they have such a short time period to plant. Cindy DiNapoli asked if other municipalities are paying the same prices. Dan said they are and that everyone gets the same catalogs. He said with the quantity we buy, we get a better price.
He’s buying a lot of trees from Ohio. Dan said he’s ordered native species that have some twists. He tries to buy sterile non-native trees if he’s going to plant them so that they don’t get invasive. He has Red Oaks growing well at Persell Middle School and he’s hoping the Oaks he plants on West Third Street will do just as well. Dave Anderson said the two pin oaks on Francis Street have to be the biggest Pin Oaks in the city. Dan said those trees are monsters. He said Ash trees will continue to be a problem as they’re all diseased and dying. Russ Diethrick asked if people can take wood across state lines. Dan said we’re not quarantined anymore. There was paperwork you could do in the past to carry wood over but now that the Emerald Ash Borer is here, you don’t have to. Russ asked if the Ash trees can come back. Dave Anderson said they’re working on it. Dan said it’s tough because some trees still seem healthy. Russ asked if there are preventative measures that can be taken. Dan said it’s cost prohibitive at $200 to $300 a tree and only lasts two to three years. He would rather use the money to buy new trees to backfill in what is dying. He added that the Emerald Ash Borer doesn’t really have any predators, so he doesn’t know what they’ll go after once Ash trees are gone. He’s hoping the population will die out.
New Business
Halloween Fun Fest: Julia said all volunteers are welcome to come help at the Halloween Fun Fest on Tuesday, October 31st. Students will be coming in on October 17th to stuff the 900 goodie bags with candy. She added Starbucks would be donating jugs of hot coffee, which will save us having to make it ourselves.
Good of the Order:
Dave Anderson said the urban forest we have is great in the City of Jamestown.
Adjournment
The next meeting is Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julia Ciesla-Hanley
