2020 Meeting Minutes
December 14, 2020
Call to order: by Susan at 7:01 PM
Attendance: Susan & John Landau, Madeline Simon, Chris Cioffi, Jeanne Cunillera, John Fagan, Willie Juhlin, Thelma Achenbach, Marcia Graydon, Linda Carrington, Lynne Cicero, Allen Wells Greg Lombardi, Councilwoman Sandi Mayer
November Minutes: Approved with a correction to add an "h" to Achenbach.
Treasurer's Report: No new transactions.
Foote's Pond Trust: Jillian Barrick has not responded with an update yet.
Hydro-raking Staging Area:
The layer of pond muck spread over the area was unfortunately, clay. Anthony Devizio understands and will remediate when weather allows. We will follow with seeds and cover with straw.
Also discussed was the area near the dock and TJ playground with sinkholes. Anthony will have those areas filled and then we can follow with invasive mitigation and native plant restoration.
Website: https://www.fofpw.org/ is ready.
1. Sandi Mayer will look into linking this with the town's website.
2. Anyone interested in helping with the website, please contact John Fagan.
3. Linda brought the website to the attention of Kevin Coughlin.
Invasive Work Days:
1. Weekly invasive work days are suspended because it is cold.
2. Next spring, based on new science, we will modify our approach to Garlic Mustard. Instead of pulling we will cut flower heads before seeds form.
3.Our updated report for STC is almost ready and will be distributed to FoFPW
4. 464 volunteer hours have been invested in FPW this year to date.
Adopt-A Spot Sign:
Christine added "www.fofpw.org" to the sign. It is lovely--- Thank you Christine!
Lidgerwood:
Tree de-vining is going to be scheduled in Lidgerwood Park as STC begins to reach into other parks where invasive control is needed.
A date will be set after coordination with STC, the Town, Chris Cioffi and friends and the weather and notice is given to neighbors of the park. FoFPW strike team will help move this project forward.
High School Community Service Hours:
High School students need to accumulate 10 community service hours each year before April 30. Chris brought this to our attention and we will plan opportunities for this winter and all years following. Chris can coordinate his team and we welcome their help!
Meeting adjourned: 7:38pm.
Next virtual meeting: January 11th, 7 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Landau
November 9, 2020
Call to order: by Susan at 7:01 PM
​Attendance: Susan & John Landau, Madeline Simon, Chris Cioffi, Jeanne Cunillera, John Fagan, Willie Juhlin, Thelma Achenbach, Marcia Graydon, Flora DeGeorge
September Minutes: Approved with a correction to note that the meeting was held virtually.
Treasurer's Report: No new transactions.
Foote's Pond Trust: Susan just emailed Jillian Barrick to request an account update.
Hydro-raking: The hydro-raking has been completed.
1.Susan will send an email of appreciation on behalf of FoFPW, to Sandi Mayer. She will read it read at the next Council meeting
2. We will express thanks briefly "in person" at the Dec 1 Town Council meeting at 7:30 PM during the public session. Anyone who can Zoom in then will be helping to show FoFPW support.
3. A layer of muck from the pond will be spread over the field that had been used to stage the heavy hydro-raking equipment.
4. This winter, native meadow seeds will be distributed over the area and native plants can be plugged in the spring. Zinnias and other annuals will be seeded in the spring as well.
Website: https;//www.fofpw.org/ is ready. Great thanks to John Fagan!!
1. Sandi Mayer can ask Morristown to add the link to the town's website.
2.Chris is working on the FoFPW Facebook page and documenting the hydroraking project with photos and comments. He is invited to add this information to the website's blog.
3. Website address can possibly be added to our Adopt-A-Spot sign.
4. Anyone interested in helping with the website, please contact John Fagan.
Morristown Garden Club: Leslie Bensley, civic liaison to the MGC, walked FPW with Susan and John. She reports that the club is interested in establishing a pollinator garden in the park and they have their own funding. The area that they are interested in planting is adjacent to the school, in the general area of the dock.
FoFPW will make sure to have permission from STC and the Town.
Invasive Work Days: Are going quite well with some regular volunteers and others who come intermittently. All are welcome every fair-weather-Thursday at 10 AM! Porcelain Berry Vine has been the focus of recent work.
Bricks Inscription Project: This fundraiser will be revisited after COVID 19 subsides and coordinated with any Town celebration of FPW improvements. We are looking for someone who likes fundraising and can run this drive.
Other Topics:
Goose nests: No nesting geese were found at Foote's Pond this spring. However 11 nests were managed at Burnham Park.
Activities at the park: Passive recreation is permitted. A permit is required for fires and food for public events. We can perhaps put rules up on the website.
​Meeting adjourned: 7:37pm.
Next virtual meeting: December 14th, 7 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Flora DeGeorge
September 14, 2020
Call to order: by Susan at 7:02 pm.
Attendance: Marcia Graydon, John & Susan Landau, John Fagan, Madeline Simon, Linda Carrington, Flora DeGeorge and Councilwoman, Sandi Mayer
August Minutes: Approved.
Treasurer's Report: $237 in the FoFPW account and at least $50 in the FP Trust account. Current Trust account balance still needs to be requested.
Invasive Work Days: Volunteer clearing of invasives is going very well. We continue to meet every Thursday morning at 9:30. Buck rub protection, supplied by STC, will be applied to young trees this Thursday.
Trust: Susan will request an updated account total in the FP Trust held by the Town.
Website: https://www.fofpw.org/ development continues. We need people to oversee subsections to keep them up to date. All interested in helping should
contact John Fagan and a committee will be formed. Please contact him with suggestions as well. Sandi Mayer will request that the Town post a link
to FoFPW.org when it's ready.
Meeting adjourned: at 7:21pm.
Next meeting: October 12th, 7 PM
Respectfully Submitted,
Flora DeGeorge
August 10, 2020
Call to order: by Susan at 7:01 PM
Attendance: Susan Landau, Linda Carrington, John Fagan, Greg Lombardi and Sandi Mayer
-June Minutes: Approved
-Treasurer Report: No change to report. We do know some donations have been made to the Town Trust and an update from Jillian will be requested.
-Invasive work days: The work continues every Thursday, 9:30 AM.
-Trash cans: Discussion is delayed until we have more people in a meeting.
-Foote's Pond Trust: In order to show support for the Town's efforts at the park, anyone who would like to, is encouraged to send a donation. Even a small amount will demonstrate support. FoFPW can apply to use those funds.
-Website: John Fagan has constructed a wonderful website for FoFPW. He asks for input about the URL domain name and suggestions in general. https://footespond.wixsite.com/website
-Council Representative Sandi Mayer: Reports that the hydroraking is on track for this fall. And as for our concerns about things like signs and trash cans, she suggests a meeting on site to discuss, perhaps with DPW. We need to have our ( FoFPW) requests sorted prior to that meeting.
-Meeting adjourned: 7:35 PM
-Next meeting: September 14, 7 PM
​
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Landau
July 13, 2020
Call to order by Susan Landau: Virtual meeting convenes at 7pm.
Attendance: Madeline Simon, Diane Otto, Linda Carrington John Fagan, Jeanne Cunillera, John Landau, Susan Landau, Allen Wells, Christine Miller, Gail Biggs, Thelma Achenbach, Wilhelmina Juhlin, Marcia Graydon, Flora DeGeorge, Greg Lombardi
June Minutes: Approved
Treasurer Update: Flora reports $237. in the FoFPW account and $50. in the town trust account.
Hydro Raking Update: The town remains committed to maintaining some open water habitat and hydroraking is on track for this fall. The scope of hydroraking is limited to the funding set aside in the 2019 budget and the town is actively negotiating to do as much as possible.
Invasive Work Days: Everyone is invited to join the strike team work on Thursday mornings at 9:30. Anywhere from 3-12 have been participating. Ecologist Sara Webb of Drew University toured FPW and was impressed by our ongoing efforts. As invasives are pushed back, more native plants are rebounding.
Signs: A) Historic sign: The Morris County Heritage Commission has declined our application for a sign at the park.
B) Do Not Feed: The "Do Not Feed the Wildlife" sign is in poor shape. We will request to have it relocated to the water's edge after hydroraking.
Doggie Bag Station, Trash Can Relocation: This week members voted to request no dog bag station be installed. Next week members will revisit the desirability of keeping garbage cans at the park or if we might request that they be removed. If we are in favor of keeping trash cans at the park, recommendations for relocation will be considered.
Brick Inscriptions or other fundraisers: Brick fundraiser will need a new chairperson. Currently, we are putting this project on hold because of COVID-19. Fundraising by selling native seeds and plugs is a possibility in the future.
Foote's Pond Wood Trust: Future donations can be made directly to Foote's Pond Trust account held by Morristown. We can then apply to use those funds as needed. The correct way to write checks and mail in so that funds reach the trust, will be distributed by email.
Website: John F. is making progress on the Foote's Pond Wood Website and plans to reach out to Burnham Park Pond's website person for information about their experience.
Other Topics:
A) The Morristown Garden Club came to look at the park and have located a section of the meadow near the school playground that needs remediation. It would be a good site to use for their pollinator grant and if they choose it, we will need to maintain it. This would need to be approved by the Town, through the STC.
B) Shade Tree Commision is holding an invasive training session taught by Mike Van Clef on July 18 at FPW. So, after two years, Mike will have a chance to see our progress against invasives in the park and hopefully give us more guidance. This gathering will be a small, invite only event run by the Shade Commision. Representatives of Burnham Park Association and MEC are invited.
Respectfully Submitted,
Flora DeGeorge
June 8, 2020
Virtual Meeting called to order at 7:01 PM.
In attendance: Sandi Mayer, John and Susan Landau, Christine Miller, Elizabeth Bayles, Gail Biggs, Allen Wells, Willie Juhlin, John Fagen, Marica Grayden, Thelma Achenbach, Flora DeGeorge
1) Welcome: Special welcome to our new members. We have 54 in FoFPW now.
2) New Laurel Bushes: Christine planted 2 Mountain Laurel bushes near the bridge by the dam, on the James Street side. They were donated by her neighbor, Elizabeth Bain, and are doing nicely.
3) Invasive Work Days/plugs and seedlings update: Volunteers have pulled Mugwort two times so far this year and it is becoming less vigorous. Volunteers will be called for a third round when the weather allows. Meadow flower plugs along the sidewalk are showing signs of deer munching new, tender leaves. Seed sprouts still need time to take root and show themselves.
4) Areas Compacted by Heavy Machinery Update: Native meadow seeds have been spread in the area affected by the heavy machinery.
5) Hydro Raking Update: Sandi reports that hydro raking will still take place and likely be in the fall since money from the 2019 budget has been appropriated for this project. The project may be scaled down to fit the budget and specifics are still to be determined. More from Sandi when she has information from Anthony.
6) Brick inscription Committee: No new updates at this time.
7) Restored Trails in the woods towards Loyola: A trail has been re-established in the 10 acres formerly owned by Loyola.
8) Environmental Webinar Notices: Susan to continue to send out webinar information because members in attendance were interested.
9) Bird Boxes: This Year's Occupants: There are Bluebirds in one box and Wrens in three others. Wood ducks have had babies but we are not sure if they used the duck box . For the comfort of the birds it has been recommended that we move the bird houses further back from the newly installed trail in the fall.
10) Fundraiser Ideas: Greg has proposed selling native seeds (and plugs) as part of a fundraiser when we are ready for one.
11) FoFPW emails- send BCC: Emails to be sent out bcc for privacy and to prevent lengthy reply chains. Periodic updated email lists will be provided to members.
12) John F. researched and presented website options. Wordpress looks very like it could meet our needs very well. If anyone would like to establish and maintain a webpage for FoFPW, it could be a lovely site for information and photos.
13) The FPW Historic Sign will be discussed by the Morris County Heritage Commission this month.
14) A request that trash bins be moved to the sidewalk and for a doggie poop bag dispenser for the park has been submitted to Kathleen Margiotta. Our worries about people feeding the snapping turtles will also be relayed to Kathleen.
15) Our next meeting will be on July 13 at 7 PM. We will use Zoom and see if it is easier for people to access. The link will be emailed with the agenda.
​
The meeting was adjourned at 7:40pm
Respectfully submitted, Flora DeGeorge