2025 Meeting Minutes

Monday May 12 2025

6:30 pm at the dock

1. In Attendance: Debbie Ryysylainen, Chris Ebneth, Marcia Graydon, Gail Biggs, Lisa Miller, Thelma Achenbach, Suzanne Mutz-Darwell, Jeanne Cunillera, Kristine Herbst, Allen Wells, Joan Belz, Susan Landau

2. April Minutes: Joan moved for approval of April minutes, Debbie seconded, all voted in favor.

3. Treasurer’s Report: Deb reports that we have $17,871 in our account from donations large and small. In 2025 we have received $9,488 from 24 donors boosted by four “super donations” of more than $500. We appreciate all donations of any size and take the trust implied very seriously. We have spent $2,140 on tools, deer protection, and bird boxes. $6,443 has gone toward plant material.

4. Membership: Kristine reports that we have 372 members of which 110 are contributing members. She sent the annual request for contributions out on April 25. 72% of the emails were opened followed by 14 new donations.

5. Volunteers: Michelle reports that we have 356 volunteer hours as of the beginning of May. 56 new volunteers, many from Corporate groups. 63 high school students have volunteered with us this year.

6. Bat houses: Thelma reports that a bat house has been selected (exciting) and site selection has been narrowed. Mounting on a pole will be best for predator protection. Susan will speak first to STC and then we can open talks with Morristown. Chris may be able to connect us with Rutgers bat experts.

7. Restoration Projects:

A. Volunteer Sunday time is now 10 am - noon

B. Woodland multiflora rose clearing is underway to push the rose 10-20 feet back from the paths. We are planting low-growing native forest floor cover and will seed as this happens. And we plan for possible dense tree seedling planting in the fall.

C. The Garden Club of Morristown is returning on Fridays to weed and plant in Darby’s Garden

D. June 6 is the date for Lidgerwood weeding and additional planting with STC, Rotary, Deloitte, and FoFPW

E. The TJ rain garden will be weeded and spot plugged soon.

F. Sandi's bench dedication is set for Saturday May 17 at noon. (Thank you Marcia!)

8. Rutgers Environmental Stewards evening: About 30 RES students and three faculty joined us for an evening. 12 decided to join our email list!!!

9. Open Space Trust Fund initiative: This proposed ordinance was positively received by the Town Council. Final vote should be in May.

10. Next Meeting: June 9 in-person in the park on the new “sitting stumps“ near the dock, at 6:30, weather permitting.

11. Adjournment: Allen moved to adjourn at 7:42 and Joan seconded. All voted in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan

Monday April 14, 2025

7:00 pm on Zoom

1.In Attendance: Joan Belz, Marcia Graydon, Thelma Achenbach, Gail Biggs, John Fagan, Kristine Herbst, Jeanne Cunillera, Greg Lombardi, Susan Landau, John Landau, Lisa MIller, Judy Bayard

2. February Minutes: Susan moved for approval, Judy seconded, all voted in favor. February minutes were approved.

3. Treasurer’s Report: We have $16,786 in our account after many plug purchases for spring. Just a few more to come. P4P grant has been approved for the second year and a check for $1,500 will be arriving from the Garden Club of America.

4. Membership: Kristine brought up the fact that we have not solicited “Contributing Memberships” for too long. She will write a Mailer Lite ask and send. Everyone on our email list is a member, those who donate ( $20/year is the request) become “Contributing Members”. Those contributions really add up and allow us to keep planting natives in the park.

5. Website: John reports all is well and stable. Susan floated the idea of adding photos of restoration work on the site in the long run.

6. Bat houses: Thelma reports there are plans to look for a good site when weather allows.

7. Bird Houses and Geese: Greg cleaned all 6 bluebird houses and the duck box and added baffles where needed. He reports that some may need to be replaced soon.

Greg, Linda and Jeanne walked Windmill and FPW and reported no nesting geese so far. They did, however, see an osprey fish successfully in Foote’s Pond.

8. Restoration Projects:

Volunteer Sundays will shift to morning hours, 10:00 to 12:00 in May.
30 Unity Charter School students visited and planted five trees and 200 plugs. They also toured the pond to experience different habitats, discuss invasives and natives, observe maple and skunk cabbage blooms and much more. They then had an outdoor creative writing time.
Jean Epiphan has a study of hickory trees going and we are participating. Jean gave us 20 hickories, two species and two soil amendments and a control. Wednesday the planting will begin!
The first Verizon Volunteer Day was rained out.
Special thanks to all who are helping on Sundays! We have lots of wonderful MHS students participating and the FoFPW volunteering adults really make a better experience for all!
Joe Curlo (DPW) is bringing more “sitting stumps” for our outdoor classroom/meeting area. The space is taking shape, we are so grateful for DPW and STC support!

9. Sandi’s Bench: The area has been sheet mulched and we will gather at noon on Saturday May 17 for a dedication and to plant a few blueberry bushes behind the bench. More planting will take place in the fall after the sheet mulch has suppressed the invasives.

10. GSWA Labels and Volunteers: Big thanks to all who wrote the 7,000+ labels for the GSWA plant sale! AND a big thank you to all who will volunteer during the “factory week“!!! Morristown/FoFPW is very well represented :-)

11. Open Space Trust Fund Initiative: Will be introduced to Council on 4/22 and possibly up for a vote on 5/13.

12. Next Meeting: May 12 in person in the park on the new “siting stumps“ near the dock, at 6:30, weather permitting.

13. Adjournment: Kristine moved for adjournment at 7:40, Jeanne seconded and all voted in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan

Monday February 10, 2025

7:00 pm on Zoom

1. In attendance: David Lustbader, Jeanne Cunillera, Thelma Achenbach, Kristine Herbst, John Fagan, Linda Carrington, Judy Bayard, Lisa Miller, Susan Landau, John Landau.

2. January 2025 minutes: Judy moved to approve our January 2025 minutes, Jeanne seconded, all approved.

3. Treasurer's Report: After seed purchases, we have over $15K in our account. $488 of new donations were received recently.

4. Membership: Kristine reports that we have 108 contributing members, and two are new. We have 365 members; one person moved out of state.

5. Website: John F. updated the Gifts page.

6. Bat Houses: Thelma let us know that she is finding time to walk with Douglass to explore good sites for a bat house. She recommends Night Magic by Leigh Ann Henion: https://www.amazon.com/Night-Magic-Adventures-Glowworms-Gardens/dp/1643753363. (Disclaimer: I’m not promoting Amazon, just the book!)

7. Restoration Projects:

-Volunteer Sundays will resume February 23 1:00- 3:00, weather permitting

-Spreading seed is the next priority. We are stratifying some seeds in moist germination mix outdoors.

-Scouts will join us in April to plant native flowers and ferns near the school.

-Unity Charter 5th graders to come for half day in April. We will provide planting options and hope to tour park habitats with the students.

8. GSWA Plant Labels: Thanks to Linda, we talked about the GSWA plant labels. Our community has written plant names on craft sticks ( big popsicle sticks) for the GSWA native plant plug sale for 3 years running. Susan will have the blank labels available in packets by species to write by Feb 15th. Please help if you can!

9. Green Funding Initiative: Progress is unknown. We will invite Scott Wild for an update at our next meeting.

10. Our next meeting: March 10 , 2025 on Zoom. 7:00 pm is our next meeting time.

11.Adjournment: Judy moved to adjourn at 7:33, Kristine seconded, and all approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan

ANNUAL BOARD MEETING

Monday February 10, 2025

6:30 pm on Zoom

In Attendance: Jeanne Cunillera, Thelma Achenbach, Kristine Herbst, John Fagan, Susan Landau, John Landau, Linda Carrington

1. Vote to renew expiring terms: John F, Deb, Jeanne, and Susan

Susan moved to appoint these board members to new three-year terms, Kristine seconded, and all approved.

2. Vote for officers for 2025

There were no new nominations. Susan moved to renew the current officers for another year, Thelma seconded, and all approved.

Meeting ended at 7:00 pm with the start of the January monthly meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan

Monday January 13 2025

7 pm on Zoom

1. In attendance: Linda Carrington, Joan Belz, John Fagan, Thelma Achenbach, Jeanne Cunillera, Suzanne Mutz-Darwell, Lisa Miller, Judy Bayard, Marcia Graydon, Kristine Herbst, Scott WIld, Susan Landau, John Landau.

2. Dec 2024 minutes: Kristine moved for approval, Joan seconded, all approved.

3. Treasurer's Report: We have had wonderful donations. One from the L and M Crawford Foundation and we would love the information to thank them! We have over $17,000 in the bank now. We spent approximately $12,000 directly on plants in 2024.

4. Membership and Volunteers: Kristine reports that we have 106 contributing members and approximately 360 members on our email list. Michelle let Susan know that FoFPW posted 1,226.5 volunteer hours in 2024 and there were 149 new volunteers.

5. Website: John F. shared the website and navigated to highlight dropdown menus. He posts our minutes every month. He reminds us to record donations that recognize individuals and events. We need to add Sandi’s bench with 35 donors and gifts for new babies in the neighborhood!

6. Bat Houses: Thelma and Greg continue to work on bat houses. They have selected a bat box and are looking for an expert to consult on proper location.

7. Restoration Projects:

Volunteer Sundays will resume in January from 1:00-3:00 ,beginning Sunday January 19. We will focus on overseeing the main meadow to increase diversity and sheet mulching fall plantings.
Seeds have been ordered from Pinelands and Ernst.
Signs for TJ School trees are in place.

8. Next meeting: February 10, 2025 on Zoom. 7:00 pm

9. Adjournment: Kristine moved to adjourn at 7:35 and Marcia seconded, all approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan