Town Council - Special Meeting

Good evening everyone. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. I have sad news that uh our solicitor and uh tree uh guru won't be making it this evening. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said sad news. I may have thought like something bad. No. Uh Anthony won't be making it this evening. Uh he's occupied uh with three other meetings and there's no I mean three lawyers, four meetings. So we will I hope won't need any legal advice uh while discussing the planting of trees at Berso Park. So this is uh a great opportunity that we have and I'd like to introduce Robin Ailla and this is Robin Ailla Baba Villa's daughter and she plays into this because she read uh the article that was written about my proposal that the council supported on the creation of an arboritum at Bers Hill Park and she called me up oh no emailed me and uh said that she would like to sponsor the trees, the cost of the trees, and and it's it's through her uh her father's foundation. And with the council's approval tonight, I would like to uh propose in the form of an of a motion that at next week's meeting, we dedicate this arboritum to uh Baba Villa.

So moved. Uh, is this appropriate time to take a vote on it? Oh, it is a council meeting. Second. Oh, no. I second. Excuse me. Yeah. All in favor? So, that will be on next week's agenda. And yeah, it's a this is a big deal.

This is a big deal because I was thinking of how many things we do that grow in time and impact the future. maybe a school, a hospital, um a grove of trees. Uh the best time to plant a tree as we all know is 10 years ago. So the the real uh fruits of our labor will be in the future. And I am hoping that these will grow and beautify the town and uh and shade the people at the park and change the atmosphere there of just a dry dust bowl. It's been a great ball field. It's been a great location for the COG Festival, which Mr. Ailla was a huge part of for 50 years probably. And uh I just think it's the the the best thing we can do to connect ourselves spiritually with that burial ground and the uh impact a positive impact of the future. So, uh, that being said, I'd like to introduce our our tree warden, and I'd like to introduce, uh, Chuck Stton, the head of our tree commission, and they're going to give us already, I would probably say, u 50 to 100 hours of of time has been put into this. And, uh, they've met, they have a few proposals. They're going to tell us what they think are the appropriate trees to be planted there. And then my idea was to break into groups and I have aerial photographs of the park and we were going to have a sharet and create our own. But seeing that there's so few people here, I think we're going to go and I'll ask my council if it's okay with you to go with probably what you're presenting us and then see how the room feels about your proposal.

And the the rec board has already put in time on this and they've given us their uh approval on location. Uh so it'll be the infield of the ball field up to second base even with the flag pole and it'll go on a diagonal towards the small what do we call that? Small little pavilion roof type structure in front of the tennis courts. So it's a pretty big area. And I think uh we'll let you two have the floor. Okay.

Hello everyone. Thanks for having me tonight. Dream come true to create an arboritum. I've created other ones in yards. I've been to them all across the country. It's kind of the thing I do is the voice of the forest and I travel around this country and try to promote forests. So coming to Warren um it's been really fun. It's so historic and it's a place you can make a difference. And uh so I put this little arburetum, this little PowerPoint together. I want to go through it with the help of Jessica. So we are looking at a picture a long time ago at the park. It's still kind of like that down there. Um the park is a special place when you go there. Even though it is a dusty place, every time I go there's it's being used.

Okay.

And people love it. And the waterfront's very special. It's historic. There were ships built there. Um there's still quite a few trees. Um we're we're working across. We're putting I want to put three trees in there. So we'll go to the next one. Arboritum. That's what we're creating. The first arboritum in Warren, Rhode Island. There is one that's world famous. Blew Wald right in Bristol. We also have Mount Hope Farm. That's where I am in that walk. I lead tree walks throughout the United States. that one I did recently in the last month. And our breedom is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees and shrubs of variety of species. So what we do is we go in and create our little arburetum where people can go and be with the trees, study the trees. We put signage in and also through that you can shrubs. We also put in uh art and uh even music that can go with these places.

Let me let me just interrupt once. the the charity that we're receiving is for the trees specifically. Okay. Yes. Oh, and the trees are the number one. That's part of the arburetto. I just But I'm just saying the future of this it's it's the beginning. Okay. And I want everybody to be involved. I want it to be a town. We'll go to the next one.

This is a primary proposal to create Warren's first arburetum at historic and sacred Birds Hill Park. I am looking for resident volunteers for the community to help with the design, planting, planning, inventory, and presentation of the project. Planting will begin now in October. It's very important to plant trees in October and November in Rhode Island because the roots grow all winter because we have rainfall and snow and roots grow more in the winter on the hardwood forest, the New England forest, which I know a lot about in the winter. So when summer, spring and summer comes, you have to water less. They're established. If you put the trees in the spring and the summer, it's really hard to get going, especially right now. We're in a drought. So, we want to work. My plan is to work this mid-occtober with volunteer groups at the park. If not, we'll go in there with my volunteer with my little tree company and and Chuck said we would do what we can.

Done. Yeah, we're going to get it done. Work this fall will include planting, mapping. We've already started mapping. Um, you did a great job on that that that map. Trees will be planted 40 feet apart. We try to do 40 feet because when they grow, they get huge. If you put them too close together, it can be a problem. So, I want citizens of all ages. I want parents with their little kids. I want people that were here for their whole lives. I want the firemen, the police, everybody. We did it in St. Central Falls and let me tell you, one day we did it and the whole town came. It was one of the greatest days. So, I'm There's not a big crowd tonight, but I think there could be a good crowd.

Legacy of New England fall color. We live in New England, the greatest forest region on earth with color. People come right now from all over the world, land here in New England, and get in their cars and go throughout New England to see the fall color. It's a multi-million dollar tourism budget, tourism, economic development. Can I ask a question? Yeah. We're not going to be raking leaves, right? We'll be chopping and mulching. Yeah, we'll chop them up, mulch them. Thank you.

Okay. See, you know your stuff. Okay, we'll go to the next one. Okay, these are some of the trees that I would like to see planted. We have a red maple that will be at the entrance. You want to tell us about that where we're having the 250th anniversary. Oh, yeah. Um, do you know about this? Yeah. About where the tree got blown down in the storm at the entrance to the parking lot. So, we were thinking with your uh approval that that would be the best spot because of the plaque and you can tell us what we're talking about and it's going to go in that spot. I think you told him the whole story, Mr. Deep Pascali.

Yes. Um uh the uh Warren Fourth of July committee has applied for a grant to um have the money to put together a commemorative sign similar to the one that's already at Bur Hill and the oyster sign and the armory sign that would go along with the red maple which the state is um donating to every town in the state. So, we won't get it until April, I'm afraid. But, um, we know the tree for sure is coming, and we'll know soon whether we got the funding for the plaque, which is actually funded by the state, too. So, that sounds great. Thank you. Thank you. State tree.

No. But, uh, so Red Maple is our state tree, or state tree. It's going to be in a prominent spot when you enter the park and, uh, there'll be signage right there that explains everything. So, I didn't know it was not coming till April, but that's okay. We can leave a spot for it. Okay, great. Yeah, we talked about Rhode Island red maple as rub, our state tree, but it's the most common tree in the eastern United States. So, it grows throughout our forest. There's red maple, pure red maple stands. They can grow in uplands. They can grow in water. They're very fascinating. I've studied the Everglades. The, you know, I'm studying a big forest in the Everglades for my one of my life's mission works. And guess what's in that forest?

Red m. So, they grow all the way from Canada down there. We're going to go to tree three, willow. We had a willow that was an old one that fell or was cut down because it was on the waterfront. We have three trees, correct? Yes, we have three willows that we're going to put in as part of we purchased and they're in they're at my shop and we're ready to plant. Well, the highway department's going to plant it at the beach because I'm at the beach. We can help.

Okay, Lyndon is the uh bee tree. This is what the Amish make the honey with. We have one as you leave the parking lot, go into the field. Uh we have one on one side and one missing. We're going to put one in there and that's you know this is a discussion. We have tupelo on either side of the stadium steps we call them. Is that what they call that? The stadium steps.

Tupelo is a very rare forest swamp tree that has great color. We have they can grow in ages up to 700 years old. So I'm trying to put trees into this park that will be there for a long time. Uh, sugar maple, the state tree of Vermont, New York, and other places behind the stadium steps. That's the color tree. They can take a little shade, grow for long periods. We can even tap them maybe someday and make sugar sugar syrup for for Warren. Uh, white oak on the edge of the basketball court. White oaks are the ship building oak. When they get older, they're the biggest wildlife legacy tree. more wildlife and insects and birds go to that tree than any other species, especially when they're old. So, they're very special. We have a swamp white oak and a regular white oak. The state tree of Connecticut uh collection of tree species is home run fence. I put this in because I had an email from one of the guys that wanted to save the stadium. It was just an idea that they had. I wanted to look at all ideas tonight. So, my idea was to put a row of American horn beams, which are small, fence-like, for the home run, but I think there's not a lot of room.

Well, the recck board uh has agreed to

they they didn't like that idea. So, the reason the rec board came in with their I don't like Well, I don't want to use the word like and dislike. They're in full favor of planting trees, right? It was the location. So the un in front of the hills they felt would be very difficult to uh protect with the sledding because the little kids go down there and it doesn't matter how much snow they're down there. They sled in the mud and uh so we you know we don't want to go against the wreckboard and the other um locations that you talked about behind the stadium steps. We agreed on that one as well because that is an agreed upon uh pathway that was required when we received the grant for the um bathrooms and concession stand. Okay. So, um, you might have remembered you put together that great,

right, proposal before we saw Tara's, uh, recommendations and then they happily had no problem filling the entire infield, uh, all the way up to second baseline. And I look at this as what we're doing while we're alive. I think in the future you'll have other people looking at what's there and who knows they may decide to continue planting the whole field. Who knows? But as of now uh I see no reason to go against the recommendations of the reco board and uh get these trees in the ground. Yeah. And I really want Tara to be part of this because she's really smart and she's very very passionate about

and she changed the last she loves her job. No, her father's a real farmer in this town and she I really want her to work with us. I think she will and um I really she had some great ideas when she came. Yeah, I was planting trees near the courts and didn't think bum. What about the roots when they hit the courts and then they raised everything? There was a few things that she did that right there. You're on the committee.

So, we really want her on board. She's real important to this project. We'll keep going. American Hornbeam, that's a tree we don't know about that grows in the understory in New England. It's kind of got muscles like a weightlifter. They stay small. We got elm, the state tree of mass. They have hybrid melms now that grow that you can put in with the American elm died of Dutch elm disease. The only problem with that, we have to really be careful where we put them because they get so large. Their canopies spread. That tree will grow really fast. In five years, you'll have big tree in that area. Um, Tula popppler, another one that I picked. Uh, the biggest trees in the east. They're the redwoods of the east. I have one in in Kentucky that's 258 ft tall and 28 feet around. So, we have to see where these go in, but they're great. They have tulip flower leaves. So, these are some of the ones in the infield area or in that area. American holly, this one that I wanted to think about. American holly, the state tree of Delaware. They grow naturally here. Little Compton has the tallest ones in North America and in Jamestown. And in these forests, there was holl. So, they're really pretty. They have different u little holly berries. We have male and a female. So, we want to think about diversity of what we're planting. Uh, river birch, it's not a big fan of mine. I mean, they're they grow south. They grow in the northeast, but I wanted to have the state trees. And I think white birch, which I would love to put in. They they have a hard time growing. They don't live long. So, maybe we'll switch that. We can talk about this as we go. White oak and swamp white oak. We'll go to the next one. State trees of New England. We'll just go right through. You know, I always quiz you guys on that. White oak, Maine, Massachusetts, elm, New Hampshire, white birch. Maybe we can put a few in there. They need complete sunlight. Vermont, sugar maple, Rhode Island, red maple, native oaks, red, white, black. Now, I heard search big trees and I became very famous doing that. I've been in magazines. Well, guess what I found this

summer in West Wick? I own a tree company. I go to a call. It's up against a very kind of a rundown old neighborhood in West Wick, the old milling up against a cliff. A black oak 28 feet 4 in in circumference. That is probably one of the biggest oaks in North America. So, it goes to show you what we're planting, but what's out there. Okay. I get excited about trees. Rare native trees. We've already done a lot of that list. American hot beam is another one that we could think about. Hickory, there's species of hickories that grow here. Evergreens, I would like to put in maybe a component of evergreens maybe down the road. You know, we have Atlantic white cedar, which are really rare that grow in Rhode Island. There's wildlife habitat. They had them in North Carolina that was a super fun site. They put in an Atlantic white cedar forest. It had more habitat than any forest ever studied within 12 years. Species that they never even existed. Okay. So, we have red cedar, white spruce, tamarak, which is a native. And I was thinking about where the chief was buried

on the hill. Yeah. A dawn redwood, which I plant because they used to be all over the world at one time and then they almost were gone. There was 30 left and a Chinese soldier found them when he was search at a war and and he realized the village it it was about death or life. So, you planted when someone died, you plant one. If someone was born, you planted one. There was 40 left in the world. Now they've planted them around the United States. I've planted more than anyone probably in the United States. A giant giant redwood. Yeah, it's a dawn redwood. There's three redwoods. You have not a giant redwood. It's a dawn red. Yeah, it's from China. But they dropped their needle. The same family. Oh, right. They're they're in one of the redwood. Those are on the driveway of North Farm, aren't they? Yeah. Yeah, they are.

But I was thinking, you know, the native the Chiefs maybe his area. We could maybe put one. That'd be great. Like this. And of course the giant sequoas uh Blewald has we have the biggest collection in the east coast. I would love to be able to work with Blewald. I've already done lectures there. They're amazing. They have people there. We have someone in this town. Do we have a tree committee, tree canopy commission or something like that? We have both. He's on that. I met this guy. He works at Blackwall. That guy could know. Oh. Um Dennis. Dennis. Yeah, Dennis.

So, I'm going to get a list of people I know. I've met and I'm going to get them on my committee and they can help with the design. We got some real talent in this town. We'll go to the next one. Okay, there it is. I went around the ball field today because I had an email from a former athletic who's the guy on the conservation commission that was a famous athlete. Yeah. And he was died about the wall field. So, I said, "Oh, we'll build a fence around it." Which isn't going to happen because we've already make plans to forest that whole area. I also put trees in where else they could go around the edge of the parks or holes in the parks. That doesn't mean we're going to do that now. I'm just saying, you know, maybe down the road. Well, we could Yeah.

Ask the rec board, do you you don't really mind if we were to continue planning up on the hill and stuff like that, right? No. Tennis courts for the same reason basketball courts. Yeah. Well, that isn't the picture that we're going with, right? We're actually going to use her picture, right? Oh, you mean the two up there? I didn't I didn't even notice them. Yeah. Yeah.

And then, of course, we're going to plant the willows on the on the beach. We'll go to the next one. That's it. Okay. And as you see the park, there already is trees in that park over to the I call it the the northern side of the park. There's a lot of mature trees and I've started an inventory and that's what I do for my living. I make inventories of trees and there's a lot of really cool trees. There was been a lot of good trees planted in this town over the years. I don't know who there was, but Chuck Dayton and his group. Yeah. I mean, there's really some nice stuff even through the town.

Chuck, if you'd like to the opportunity to speak. I think the I think the important part is that we're turning Bur Hill into a more uh livable area, a more area that more people want to be at because it's very hot. There's a lot of sun and we're going to add canopy. We're going to help the environment by reducing the heat and be more a fun place to be and pe and a place where it's cooler and you have some shade and you have a place you can put blankets down and so that's an important part of this whole thing. That's where I'm coming from. Anyone at the council have anything they'd like to add, please?

I I just have a question. when earlier on you were talking about, you know, bringing in the community and and getting a lot of volunteers. Can you talk about what kind of work um will be uh expected of the volunteers? Well, it'd be great if we get to get it out in the paper or something, but it'd be great to have a planting day like on a Saturday. So, does that mean people have the trees there? Come with shovels? No, we have we could provide all that. Chuck and I own businesses. We could bring shovels and all the gear we need. Mhm. We just show up and it could be a blast because when parents plant trees with their kids, it's a special moment. And I did it in Central Falls. We planted over a thousand trees in that town. Let me tell you, it made a huge difference. Well, with um school in session now, I'm I'm I'm sure it wouldn't be that difficult to send out an invitation.

Yeah. And we might want to be careful on how many invitations we right we actually send because Well, we could start a list. we could, you know, have they call in, we want to be part of it and get Well, yeah, we could start with that, but um invitation classes like maybe we'll think about it, but I think targeting specifically a few uh groups of kids that may have an interest or a teacher who's doing uh this kind of work. Yeah. Uh because you I don't think it would be productive to have 300 kids there, right? We don't have to do that and I doubt we'd get that. Maybe we'll get we could start a list and see who would like to be involved. No. uh including the town council. Yeah,

I'm just I've I've got access to certain channels to promote such things and you know um I think it's the type of event and and uh program that people would be really interested in. Yeah. And I think Cara could be key in that because she's direct. She runs stuff like that. Yeah. If she could help me with some ideas, I want to do a lot of the work. I'd like to just put this past the council. I think the volunteerism is great. I would like to see that for some. I really would like to see this as something that begins and ends. Uh so I I know DPW can dig a hole. I know that you have your spade tree, your spade truck. I know that if Chuck

we're going to be there. If Chuck says he's going to do something, he'll do something. So I think the the volunteerism will have its opportunity. Uh but I also think making sure that we have a beginning and an end to this project. Right. Right. So when we build a playground can't have anyone under the age of 12, right? Good idea.

Because of the u the job needs to be done. So when you are thinking of family, I probably would u not open that up necessarily because you don't want to have a lot of people with little children running around not watching them. Okay. See, that's why I have you on board.

I have uh some other questions. Oh, if if Tara has done um I just didn't want to interrupt if you were still um Okay. Um, so once the trees are planted and established over the winter and you know come spring and then another like hot hot summer, what will be the the plan to keep them water and watered and growing and maintained and and all of that? what's the irrigation uh options or the access to water at the park and how will we ensure that the trees get appropriately and sufficiently watered and cared for over time. Um

we have the spigot. We've not done the greatest job of watering our street trees at all times. That's very common throughout the US. Yeah. And so I just want there to be a built-in plan that's going to ensure that these trees get the best chance of survival and growth. So, you know, maybe we can have some people adopt a tree. So, we're going to water it.

So, we we have the smiggot there. And the adopter tree, I think, would be great. And instead of using the gators, I think if we uh used a 55gallon drum with a 1/8 inch hole, that would trickle uh at pretty much the the same rate. Um and we can tie that to the tree and then the volunteers would would pull the hose to the barrels and fill the barrels. Or if you want to go with the gators, I just think they're kind of small. We do know one thing, water is the key to life. It's the key to trees. Yes. Yes. Yes. And so I think we really that was great you brought that up. That's like a key a key point no matter what happens.

And then over time just the general maintenance of the trees because you know you do notice at um that direction at Burill Park. You know, there are areas where, you know, obviously the weed whacker has been used around trees and there's all of these marks at the base of the of these, you know, younger trees and that's just so traumatic for them and does not ensure their and that's another national problem. Yeah. So that just that there as long as we have a really clear uh clearly stated program and plan for the

long-term care and keeping is just so important. So we don't do something only to let it be ruined. Okay. Yeah. I think we have to have uh a clear watering plan which we will we will implement when we're doing this. We're doing this the planning for the trees and we're going to uh do a little circle around each tree and the trees have to be staked. It's very windy and and it'll be a circle of mulch with a little rim of dirt around it. So the weed whacker will not get near the base of the tree. Yeah, we're going to have to have and mulch and mul and mulch each tree. Good. Yeah.

About the town administrator, how do you feel about this? Anything you could give us how you feel about the arburitum? Is there anything? Would you like to come and help? Maybe I'd like the fire department, maybe the police department. When we did it at Central Falls, the fire department showed up and watered the trees with the fire truck. So, Mr. Charmley, thank you. Are you a fireman? Huh?

No, he's a has a question. Okay, go ahead. Um so um just uh for everyone who is here physically tonight, I believe that there is a diagram that was put together by the parks and rec uh parks and rec board director that has a more a newer version of this with where the trees are going to go just so people can get a visual idea of of what because this is not totally reflected although it's the same general idea. Um, so I'm curious because we do have parks and wreck program has a memorial bench program. I don't know if because of the new trees that anyone would like to purchase some sort of memorial bench, but it's just worth Oh yes, Tara.

Yes. In addition to that though, um because we have the bench program, we set benches up in various areas. Would this potentially give us more areas to put benches in if it's like under a tree or something like that? So, I'm just thinking that I you said 40t between the trees. Well, that's kind of a as a general professional general rule. Um big hardwood. If there's room enough potentially for a bench, you know, sitting on on a bench underneath a tree is a very lovely experience. Yeah. Yeah. That's what this meeting is about. Absolutely. That map's not set in stone. We're kind of That's why I wanted to just tell the town do it. You know, we have the town historian, too. And I was wondering if you could stand up and just give us a little bit just a few minutes. I don't think Mr. Travel is finished. I just have one more thought.

Okay, go ahead. Uh, so in addition, kind of building off of that. Um would it be possible to potentially leave room for in case in future a future council could have the had the financial resources to do some sort of like fountain or some addition because arburedom love it. um if there's any way to improve that through I don't know if improve is the right word but uh I can picture a fountain in a in a grove of trees would be a very lovely site if there's sort of a like thinking not just of what the trees look like in a hundred years but also maybe where spots could be for like if there's an opportunity for future investment that would be something I would encourage you but of course I deferred entirely to your both of your uh experience with trees and then of course um I'll turn it over to the town story.

That's what I was thinking down the road. This is the beginning. You know, if you go to Blewald, they have all kinds of art and things with it. So, and isn't there a garden club in town? Yeah. Okay. Um, okay. I think Mr. Weed, he's referring to you as the town historian. Yes. [Laughter] Hope it comes. So, if you could come to the mic because uh this is being recorded. Okay. I want to know this guy. I've met him a few other times. He's really a brilliant guy and he's very very knowledgeable. So,

what's that? Yes. He's amazing. Go ahead. The first time we met was down at Mount Hope, right,

on the new newly acquired uh property of the Pocona tribe. And Matt was kind enough to offer his opinion about the kinds of things that need to be done down there. And the tribe is working very hard with very limited resources to try to improve that property uh because they're very much in the mindset of creating um an experience for people to understand how the land has always been here. Okay. So, it's really about preservation and uh Matt's going to be working with them over time, but uh I'll be happy to uh convey what we're talking about here tonight. I'll be talking with the Sich and the Sagamore tomorrow and um I don't I don't imagine that they have any objections to what we're talking about. Um if we were to build a 20story hotel there, they would have something to say about that. Uh but as as we understand this is the sacred Pocona royal burial ground in the land up above and except for the two trees that you're talking about and and you're right those are magnificent trees that are up there already but trees don't live forever and we really need to think about you know the next few generations there. So planting trees that can replace those trees would be very helpful. But uh anything that would create a more natural setting uh and something that's uh uh commensurate with the kind of um tree canopy that was once here 400 years ago I I would think would be very much in in line with with what they want.

So we did reach out to our contacts. Right. Spironi at to the tribe. Yeah. And um unfortunately we didn't get a response. Yeah. Well, they've got a hundred things on their list. So, I'm sure I'll make sure they'll hear about this. What I can add historically is there's never been any uh negative feedback for planting a tree, right? Yeah, I would agree. Thank you. Okay, let's hear it for this guy. Yeah. also for the town clerks that they do a great job. They helped me today. They came in early and helped and they're always helpful and I always give a call down there and it's it's you guys got a great town.

Is there anyone from the public who would like to Mr. Ailla come on up? I have a a couple of I'm actually Robin Abila Remy as of Brian Remy former wife. So, um, you talked about the native input. That was one of the things I was concerned about. Like I think it would I was wondering if they would like to request a certain kind of tree just like man just talked about because I think that would be really cool too to make sure we there might be some shrubs that they, you know, that grew a certain kind of thing, but I'd like to really make sure we do that. But the other thing I my question was um also about protecting. How are these going to be protected short term from deer? Because they're going to be small trees, easy to Are we going to How that was a big question. I

We have a lot of deer down at that park. Deer River. That's a good point. That's why this meeting was important. Yep. Because we're learning a lot and so we have to deer proof. We can use stakes for deer proofing. These trees aren't small. We're going to put in two to two and a half inch. Yep. So they should be pretty good. They can scrape. the bucks will scrape. Yeah. To leave their scent because I planted that size tree in my yard and you know the branches are still pretty low. Like I had goats and they were out there. So, um and then I guess the other question I had was um I know you're talking about weed in between. Is there a way to put like a ground cover that grows there? So, we don't even have weeds. What do you use? I don't know. Well, I don't know if we can.

Well, around the tree is going to be mulch. Mulch around each tree will be mulch. We're gonna gonna have to have you know people we eat it once a year. Yeah. Because sometimes I've seen what they use clover or there are certain kind of low growing stuff that people can walk on but it's ground. That was just my only question. Very good thoughts. I am on the committee. I don't we'd love to have you there for the Yeah. Oh yeah. And that was the other thing too. If we if we want to have some kind of ceremony if you wanted to have some kind of like an like offer refreshments and things like that we could cover that too. Thank you. Thanks for giving back.

What we did at SS Field when we planted S's field on on Market Street, we wrapped the tree. We worked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and we planted 20 trees there last year and we wrapped the trunk with a wrap that stops the mice and rabbits and and we can we can buy that. We can do that. And once we stake the tree, I don't think the deer are really going to bother it because the branches are a little bit higher. So, they'll be they should be fine. Anybody Mr. Deto?

Um, I just had a question. you had mentioned that you talked to Butch and Butch Lombardi and so I just wanted to get his input because he isn't here and I don't and I know that he is probably going to be the strongest proponent for the field itself.

So I just wanted to find out what that perspective was. I spoke with him uh a few weeks back when we were raising money for the lights on the spruce down at the beach at the park and I he didn't bring up any I mean I think he was possibly thinking of just potential future use but honestly if we plant trees where you proposed you're not playing softball there. So, uh, he didn't call me, he didn't reach out against, and, um, I know him, known him my whole life, as well as, you know, many people in this room have. If if he was against this, I'm sure he would have, uh, contacted us.

Well, he he wrote to me. I was just that was just an idea I had. That's why I just wanted to fund ideas, you know, your idea, my idea. It was just today it came to me, hey, could we have a a field of trees around it? even if we played whiffle ball or something. I don't know. But you're right. I think we need a row of trees there. And I think that's what people want. Yeah. In the group. So, we got to go with what the group goes with. Uh there was one other anyone else from the public who'd like to come up. Please feel free. And while he's coming up, I'll just say thanks to everyone who has come and and taken time out of their evening to to be here. Even if you're not speaking, just to be part of this uh discussion is very important. Thank you all.

No. parks department. All right. So, anytime I go down here, I have a little mooring right off of here. Thanks to the good doctor. When I go here, this whole park is full of kids all summer long, right? Why are we restricting the access for these kids in this park with like like I I see someone's worried about deer. Like, what happens when a bunch of 10 year olds run through here? like how serious like like is this uh could you introduce yourself please? Hi, I'm Jared. I'm a town resident here and I have a little mooring and I spend a lot of time in that parking lot and I spend a good amount of time in this park.

Okay. It's my understanding that this is a children's park where there's like a summer program. Yes. Right. So like how is this I haven't heard anyone talk about how that's gonna this is going to impact that at all. Like I've heard about like I read in the paper about concerns about the uh clam shell for the band stand. Yeah. But I didn't see anything there and I haven't heard anything here about like what's going on with it. Seems to me like the main people like someone mentioned sledding in the park. Like this seems to me to be like a a used park by the children. So I no one seems to be advocating for that. So I'm curious as to what because I know there's a new plan. Do you connect trees with disuse or like how are you

I'm wondering I'm wonder about what the impact would be about having a bunch of kids around like new tree plantings speaking right even if they're staked even whatever and then I'm also concerned about like this just seems to be an open field for the park department when I have observed it which is quite often so I'm just I just want to hear from someone about like what that impact's going to be shared I to talk. Thank you.

So I um it's to so to your point um it is a heavily if for actually as long as I can remember has been utilized as a park for families for all kinds of people. Um it actually used to have a softball field and a baseball field and it had football um field goal posts. So, it was the main field in town, but uh now it the uh things have changed and as Joe has said and so the use has changed and so that baseball field is no longer um utilized because our little league actually works with Bristol and so Bristol has a senior league field. So, our kids are playing in Bristol because it's too expensive to maintain an infield. So, the um one piece when I looked at the the plan that they had come up with was to keep some of it open space because of what you're stating, you have to have open field space in case a team needs to practice there, the kids need to have an open field space to play soccer or whatever, lacrosse. Uh someday we may have a in a rink that we put there for the winter. Um, but the point that we can uh put some trees because one of the things we lack there is shade and so the kids actually need shade. And I think we all agree with that.

Um, so but we want to make sure we put them in the correct places so that one the roots don't uproot the basketball courts or the tennis courts and they don't obstruct the views of the uh band shell. And if we do ever have the the co-op festival again or if we have like we did the 250th celebration years ago or any event big event we want to have enough open space to do that. So the plan that that isn't a good vision of what I see but we have a picture of the one

but the other one there is another one and that one is a better it's more like a a letter P in my opinion. So it lines the basketball courts and it fills in the infield, right? So it leaves really the the outside because again flooding. Joe had said to me, "Oh, let's put some trees on the bottom of the hills." And I said, "When you were a kid, Joe, and you slid down the hill and you went into the fence." We Yeah, you went the fence. WE GOT RID OF THE fence

because of that. Now you want to put a tree. So my kid hits a tree. So anyway, but um we are we're keeping the point of the park as a community space, but we want to make it better because again there really is no shade and if you're there on a 90 degree day with 300 kids, they're all under the trees. Yes. So, no, we we we have done our best to provide as much shade as possible, but even the neighbors on the south um not actually the neighbors on the south wall and the neighbors on the north wall will be very happy if we can keep the kids in the middle of the park instead of on the outside of the park um where they're supervised. So, yes, this is this is the perspective.

Thank you, Patrick. Can we see a picture of being proposed now? Because I have the same. Yeah, she they got handouts. when you hit the head out, you can just grab one. She's got handouts. I think I think Tara Tarret said the right words that we're making it more more use out of the park because we're leaving a lot of open space for the kids and we'll have some shade and we're taking the shade area and we're kind of relegating it to the infield and along the b the basketball courts. So, we're getting I think we're getting the best of all worlds. And a lot of it a lot of it will still be open space for use. And if I may

and if I may add um in terms of baseball fields that's okay. Go ahead. Sorry. In terms of baseball fields, um this one it as as Tara has indicated has been disused since I was a kid as um and uh we do have Janettto Memorial Field. We do have the two ball but but we do have it and we do have the two ball fields up at the pavilion. Um so we do have other ball fields in town so that there is not no place to No, this is a this is a senior league field. This is this is the only senior league field in the town and the last time it was refurbished was a volunteer effort

and it was a volunteer effort and they raised $40,000 and as soon as those parents who raised the funds children aged out the field pretty much went back into disarray. It's about $30,000 a year to keep that field maintained. And that's on the low end. There was uh talk of irrigation. There was talk of of lots of things at that time. And for the minority of use, the minority percentage-wise of children that were using it and the costs associated it. It I was on the council. We didn't we didn't do it. And that's why that group raised the money on their own. And we said, "God bless you and go right ahead." But uh we spend the money we spend at Pizza Pavilion. Uh and anybody who would like to sit with Miss Thibido and realize what we spend and what she would like to spend uh it would be a million dollars a year. That's not an exaggeration. and she could take out paperwork probably right now on her phone at least I know for a fact and show you how easily a million dollars could be spent on the uh recreation uh programs and facilities in town. Unfortunately, this has always been um appreciated but not so much in the heat. And as I've looked at this and the use and when we had to put up a tent for the children to be under and Tara invites me every year to the last day and I see the 300 kids and they're all in under the trees. It's at first you're like why are the kids up there? Why are they over there? Why are it's shade? And uh I think this would be a great asset and uh appreciate everyone's opinion. And if anyone else would like to come on

up, Corey, please. Just two questions. One is uh is the back stop the chain link back stop that's coming down. Is it coming down? Yes. Okay. And then two is does the town have a plan to um repair or or refurbish the um grant stands?

Yes, Miss Thibido met with uh the trust and the town manager, Mr. Sullivan met with the trust yesterday. Uh she actually was working on a proposal this morning. I met her in her office and uh we're looking at the uh possibilities of what can be there. uh sections could be a section could be removed, section could be repaired. Um so we're we're looking at how that fits in. Uh budget times coming up. Um we don't have that much money as people know and uh but there is a public safety issue there and we're going to have a solution come this spring. Uh hopefully we can maybe do it in house. Uh and if not, hopefully we'll be able to uh afford the funds. Uh, and I I probably think that this would be a priority because of the safety aspect. They're they're deteriorating and they're starting to uh become a safety concern and especially with the children there. So, we'll be taking that uh head on this year. Um, good questions. Anyone else? Mr. Weed, you had your hand up.

Say, sorry, those stands were built in 1924. They're overund years old and they need some work. But it does offer because if you're going to keep the stands there, that could be another concert venue for people sitting in the seats and

people sit there now and utilize them. And uh they were donated by the Joseph uh Martin Trust. So uh it was outside of all of his relief work that he did for the needy in town. uh he made that donation and there's a big bronze plaque there that I'm so glad always that it hasn't been pried off and sold for $30 worth. No, that's what I'm saying. It's still there. Um so I I really appreciate that. Anyone else? Any members of the tree commission?

Come on down. I I definitely want to support the uh idea of a cops of birch trees and I think that um the impetus to stroll in that area and then expanse is the opposite. It's it's the it's what I want. To approach the park from Main Street and and be at the athletic field is just a daunting experience. You don't want to walk through it. So, I just want to encourage the impetus for strolling. And uh I guess that takes design. I don't know. But um because I haven't heard anything about designing paths or or anything or is it just the planting of trees?

It's the planting of the trees and we're going to uh look at the width requirement for the trees and based on the location that that can somebody just take that picture off because I mean everything I heard everything I've heard tonight is is wonderful. I didn't know this was going to be such an exciting meeting. So, so this is this is as close as a rendition as as we have now. And we're going to probably uh look at the strolling through the the the plantings as a natural um park as a natural park. Thank you. Thank you.

But I I believe a a cops of trees is is is untended and something meant to be groomed. Yes. Yes. Um, so my other request Yes. My other

my other request would be grass under the like in that area. So not any uh not a another sub like an so that the kids can utilize that space like we do all the other spaces. probably would do is uh I can envision reworking because again that that is the diamond. So that's the sand that was made of the infield and all of that. So we probably would have to take some out and then bring in mulch. I mean yeah bring in the compost that we have and uh and you know Yeah. So that would be my put some top soil in. My request would be for the trees uh the base to be grass because right now it's kind of like

right now it's it's yeah it's it's um crab grass I think. So my question to the tree guys since we just brought up what is there on the infield? Do we want to take a few test samples of what is down you know 10 feet? Does that matter on what we're planting? because I heard you with the list of, you know, some like to grow in a swampy area, some like to be uh in a a very acidy acidic area. I mean, what do we know about the soil there?

Well, the soil the soils are sand silk clay in New England. So, if you look at that park or you go through just take an aerial of this of Rhode Island flying in like I do from California, there's so many trees you can't it's such a pre-rowing region. It's sure high acid soils. I'm sure we can do a simple test on the soils. Some sand areas grow good for trees, but that's a good point. We want to check out where we're planting. What's the soil like? And then is it possible to uh enhance the pits that we're Yeah, you do. But the trees don't go down 10 feet. Trees are very shallow growing, you know. So, yes, we could ding some out and bring some nice stuff in and plant in it. Okay.

I think things would grow good there. I really do. But we should check the soils. There was a lot of things tonight like he said the past you know the future of the past you know uh what she said about the there was a lot this meeting was very successful oh we're not done yet we're not there yet well okay but I appreciate enthusiasm could I ask on the feasibility of Miss Thibido's suggestion about the grass is that something that you guys could uh take care of uh or perform or is that outside of their that'll be us okay that'll be us okay understood just wanted to I thank you for If we we we're thinking about 30 trees. Is that correct? Yeah. So getting those planted, it's going to be a big task. Okay. So maybe that's task number two.

Yeah. Soil after the fact. And we will modify the root zone of every tree when we're digging the hole and put in good good dirt. Yeah. Yeah. We'll make a big big hole in perhaps. As you did say, trees are best planted in October. But isn't grass, if I'm not mistaken, typically best planted in the springtime? uh minority fall September September October is the best time of the year. Well, honestly, Mr. Trump, we're gonna that's going to be a whole separate issue that maybe rec board would bring up in their future budgets, budget requests. Um I mean, to do grass correctly there, you're going to have to take up top soil. I mean, the the sand, you're going to have to bring in the top soil. So, it's not going to be an instant thing.

Okay? And there could even be a possibility of Assad because of the fact that the children are down there. So I I think it'll be No, no, I I I appreciate you. You don't want to belabor a separate point. I understand that. I did just have one other I I'll save that actually. I I'll save that. Okay. Yep. Um uh so going forward I know we talked about doing almost like a map out spray paint or some kind of visual at the park. Yes. Um and um so I guess that would be number one. Yes.

Before we planted anything. Number two would be budget. Um, so we're we're I spoke to Miss Miss Ailla and uh she's agreed that around 30,000 will be uh acceptable. I just

even better. Will'll will will and and I and I think uh the participation that I would like to see you sit in on would be that. Exactly. So, uh, what I'm looking for tonight is an official approval of planting trees at the infield of Bur Hill Park. So, that's that's the that's the motion I'm looking for. And we can even take that motion now if someone would like to make it. I'll make that motion and I will second it. All in favor? I.

Okay. So, we actually have just enacted a uh an act that it's official. We will be planting trees and we will be dedicating this uh in the memory of of of Baba and he lives on. And next, it's going to be uh another burden I put on Mr. Bido. Uh but it's only going to be for approvals. Uh you guys need to sharpen your pencil, right? Work on this. And does everybody in the room feel that this concept is a close way for us to go?

Yeah, it's I think they're going to be moved around. This is just a layout. I see people throwing footballs around, you know, hit the ball playing catch. So I just want to make sure there's enough.

Right. So this this is over a 100 yards. It's you it's easily two football fields and the length all the way along there is um longer than a football field. So by putting the trees where we're proposing on the infield, you're leaving the entire outfield uh open. And for those who may or may not have gone to the Cog festival, the infield was actually uh not allowed until it became destroyed. And then that became where the beer garden was. So all of uh the actual bringing in the carts and wagons and people and activities were in this open area. Uh football practice if needed to be there is in this open area. So this um is is as good as we can get with without infringing on on the areas to leave open. Uh she she she created this

and to echo what Corey I think was saying. So the trees are not planted in like like soldiers lined up in rows. There's some organic spacing and and and feeling to their to their placement. That's great. So what would be next is an a visual. So if if Chuck and uh Twig myself, if I'm available, Mibido, uh

actually whoever wants to go down there, uh what we're going to require next will be a spray paint overlay. So, we would where the tree would be and then a circle around that we envisioned the canopy to be uh when mature uh so that we could have a layout and maybe if my brother's still in town, he can go spin and uh see if he's got enough room and walk through the the grove and twirling. Sorry, I said spin. Um

Yep. Tai Chi. So, uh, that's what we're asking of you next. Uh, the the other thing I want to say is that obviously this should have been, um, paid for and I pushed it forward um, in a very uh, aggressive manner of asking publicly, is there anyone out there who would like to do this for free? And no one came, but you two and the tree commission did come forward. And uh I think that's worth a round of applause because when I met with you uh two or three times during this whole process, you kept telling me this needed to be done professionally and I kept saying we're not going to fail because if we don't have that, that means we're not doing it. And then that's how Miss Villa called, contacted me. Uh, and then Chuck has has come around and and said, "All right, well, we're gonna do our best and and and we're going to make it something to be proud of and you've stepped forward and you've volunteered your materials." And so I think that we unfortunately uh I kind of envision this is when you have the line of people and you say all volunteers step forward and everybody other than two people steps backwards. So I apologize for that but um we're going to get it done. Yeah. Because I really think this the only way we're going to do it is to literally put a shovel in the ground and and plant some trees.

Plant some trees. So uh You have Mr. Dibido's number. Yes. Well, oh, I don't have your Okay, I want to get that. Well, you'll get it. We have Chuck's number. And uh next thing we need to do is uh create a grid down there. Okay. And then we can I mean not a grid or you know a plan. Yes. Y and actually we can do that right now. Can I have a motion to remove the backs stop? So moved. Was that on the agenda? Because I don't want to violate open meetings.

Yeah, I'm I'll violate uh Is there a second? Uh yeah, I'll I'll second that motion. All in favor? I If it's wrong, Anthony will correct us. If it's right, we move forward. Okay. So, uh, all in favor I, um, if we have the authority to do that, uh, I think it's in the area we're planting the trees. So, uh, to me, it seems to make perfect sense, but he'll correct us if, uh, I'm wrong, but, Mr. T for all tree. Yeah. Yeah. Tree plan is the Yeah, in order to get where the trees will be, and we don't want to do it with the trees there because then it'll be in the way. So, I think it works in um So, that would have to happen.

Yeah, we're gonna ask next few the backs stop would have to be removed in the next We're going to ask DPW tomorrow to please uh create a time frame within the next two weeks to have the backs stop removed and they'll do it. That's right. He's not here. Um so, is there anything else anyone would like to add? [Music] Uh Matt, I would like you to come up your

We got a special blessing tonight for the uh the opening of a arburetum in the town of Warren. I was wondering if you could read the poem Trees by Joyce Kilmer. I always read this poem whenever I plant trees or create places or go to lead a tree walk. Um Joyce Kilmer, this was a classic poem. We used to have classics poem. Yeah, you're gonna read this into the microphone with poem tree. Here we go. Cara, this Okay, everybody. This is the poem trees by unrehearsed. Wait, I wait. This is my mother's favorite poem. And this is actually happening right now. My mother's favorite. You don't even have to look at the poem. I do.

I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed against the earth's sweet flowing breast. A tree that looks at God all day and lifts her leafy arms to pray. A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair. Upon whose bosom snow has rain, who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.

All right. Motion to adjurnn, Mr. President. I'll second that. All in favor? I. So, we've done monumental work tonight. Thank you. Good job.