URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL 

PLANNING & FUNDING COMMITTEE

 

REGULAR MEETING

APPROVED MINUTES

 

Thursday, July 15, 2010, 4:15 p.m.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:  Chris Buck (Chair), Maria D’Agostino, Naomi LeBeau, Terry Milne, Bonnie Ora Sherk

 

Order of Business

 

1.      Call to Order and Roll Call.  The Planning and Funding Committee convened at 4:38 p.m.  Present:  Chair Buck, Members D’Agostino and Sherk; Excused: Members LeBeau and Milne.   Council Coordinator Hui was present for this meeting.  Council Coordinator Hui reported that Committee Member LeBeau is still an active member for this meeting and that her resignation effective date is after the July 23 Council meeting.

 

2.      Approval of Minutes of the June 17, 2010 Urban Forestry Council Planning and Funding Committee Regular Meeting. (Explanatory Document: June 17, 2010 Meeting Draft and Approved Minutes) (Discussion and Action) Upon Motion by Member D’Agostino and second by Chair Buck, the June 17, 2010 Draft Minutes were approved without objection (AYES:  Chair Buck, Members D’Agostino and Sherk; Absent:  Members LeBeau and Milne).

 

3.      Public Comment:  Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda.  There was no public comment at this time.

 

4.      Review and Update the Annual Urban Forest Report Survey. Members will review and update the Annual Urban Forest Report Survey for recommendation to the Urban Forestry Council. (Continued from the June 17, 2010 Meeting) (Explanatory Document:  Report Survey) (Discussion and Action)

 

Committee Member D’Agostino reported that she and Council Members Costello and Vargas reviewed previous responses to the Annual Report Survey and identified the key elements that they thought should be incorporated.  Committee members discussed conducting the survey through a recorded telephone or in-person interview instead of by mail or online. A suggestion was made for the Council Coordinator to draft a letter to the Board of Supervisors explaining the delay in issuing the report since it is due annually in September.  The letter would be approved by the full Council as part of the agenda item to approve the survey.

 

The Planning and Funding Committee would discuss Survey revisions at their August 19 meeting and submit a first draft for the Council’s consideration at their August 24 meeting.  Council Coordinator Hui stated that she would bring an updated list of survey contacts to the next Planning and Funding Committee meeting and would meet with Members D’Agostino, Vargas, and Costello to discuss survey questions and interview-training protocols.  

 

Item 7 was heard before Items 5-6.  .

 

5.      Urban Forestry Council June 2 Strategic Planning Retreat Outcomes and Next Steps. Members will review outcomes and may make recommendations to the Urban Forestry Council on next steps. (Continued from the June 17, 2010 Meeting) (Explanatory Document:  June 2, 2010 Approved Minutes and Member D’Agostino’s Retreat Notes) (Discussion and Possible Action) 

 

Committee Member D’Agostino requested that Committee Members prior to the next Planning and Funding Committee meeting on August 19 review the strategic planning explanatory document she would be issuing from her discussion with Council Member Hillan.  Committee Chair Buck suggested that the Council work on influencing the completion of the Urban Forest Master Plan and then identify short-term achievable goals to focus on.  He suggested that a discussion also be held on identifying ways to achieve future steps. Member D’Agostino reported on elements of her discussion with Council Member Hillan that include (1) focusing on establishing more credibility with key decision makers and their constituents; (2) how to approach obstacles to success and increase visibility by educating the public and activating/empowering citizen groups; and (3) landmark tree nominations in every district/best tree awards.  This agenda item was continued to the August 19 meeting.

 

6.      Urban Forestry Council Budget Review and Planning for Fiscal Year 2010-11. The Committee will discuss the currently allocated budget for 2010-2011 and may make recommendations to the full Council. (Continued from the June 17, 2010 Meeting) (Discussion and Possible Action)

 

Committee Member D’Agostino requested that consideration be given to holding fewer meetings as a way to save staff time.  This agenda item was continued to the August 19, 2010 Planning and Funding Committee meeting.

 

7.      Planning and Funding Committee Meeting Time and Location. The Committee will discuss alternate meeting times and locations. (Discussion and Possible Action)

 

Committee Chair Buck discussed increasing the efficiency of the Committee by extending the meeting time to three hours once a month instead of the current 1 ½ hour meeting time.  Committee Member D’Agostino noted that the Committee has in the past completed their business under the scheduled time allotment and suggested that Committee Members ensure they arrive to the meeting on time and thoroughly review explanatory documents before the meeting in order to save time and increase comprehension of the item being discussed.  Council Coordinator Hui suggested that explanatory documents can be made available three days before the meeting when the agendas are posted to make sure that members have adequate time for review, and that larger reports could be sent out earlier if the Council members provide documents or requests for documents beforehand.  She explained that if additional meeting time was needed, meetings could also be held at alternate locations such as the Department of the Environment Eco-Center.  The Committee would monitor the need for an increased meeting time and make suggestions as applicable. 

 

8.      New Business/Future Agenda Items. (Discussion).  This agenda item was not discussed at this time.

 

9.      Public Comment:  Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda.  There was no public comment at this time.

 

10.  Adjournment.  The Planning and Funding Committee meeting adjourned at 5:59 p.m.

 

Copies of explanatory documents are available to the public at the Department of Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., by clicking on the attachments with each meeting minutes posted online https://sites.google.com/a/sfenvironment.org/commission/urban-forestry-council/planning-funding-committee, or upon request to the Council Secretary at the address listed above, telephone number 415-355-3709, or via e-mail at [email protected].

Respectfully submitted by,

 

Monica Fish, Council Secretary

 

Approved: September 16, 2010