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2026 Meeting Minutes

Monday May 11, 2026

7 PM on Zoom 

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1.In Attendance: Marcia G., David L., Karen R., Bill S., John F., Kristen R., Susan L, John L., Lisa M., Joan B., Bob. C, Susan D., Chris E., Gail B., Jeanne C., Michelle P., Greg L. 

 

2. March 2026 Minutes: Susan moved to approve the March minutes, Joan seconded.  All approved with one abstention. 

 

3. Kristen R: Susan L. moved that Kristen R. become our new Membership Chair. Lisa seconded. All approved. Welcome Kristen! She may create subsets of our email list so that members can choose to opt out of some emails. These would be primarily for those who need to know about volunteer day changes. Then we would not fill the email boxes of those who are not interested in those details. 

    Dan B: Susan L. moved that Dan B. become our new treasurer when Debbie needs to step down. Susan D. seconded. All voted in favor.  Welcome Dan! 

 

4. Treasurer's Report: 

   A. We have about $19,000 in our account but more plugs for the forest floor have been recently purchased. 

   B. We are very fortunate to have Chris and Bob planning a model ornamental forest for the park. It is their final project for the Rutgers Environmental Stewards Program. FoFPW will fund this and benefit from their restoration/conversion of lawn area to forest. 

 

5. Membership: We’ve added a few new folks to the email list and have over 400 members now. 

 

6. Volunteers: Michelle reports that we have 245 volunteer hours so far and Susan owes her more reports. 

 

6. Website: John F. Has added a few new photos but would like new material for the website. Please email John F. and Susan L. If you‘d like to contribute. Chris and Bob will add their ornamental elderberry grove with photos as that project moves forward. 

     

7. Volunteering/Restoration 

        A. Sundays, 10-noon are the continuing volunteer days. We will not be in the park over Memorial Day weekend. 

        B. Several folks are doing independent work in the park. They have adopted a spot to plant plugs in or an invasive to pull. Please let Susan L. know if you are interested in something similar. It is a huge help where we need great attention to detail.

        C. Forest floor wildflower and path rush plugs have been planted to hold ground and offer soft landings for overwintering forest insects and other wildlife. 

        D. 77 trees have been planted at TJ school, the result of a grant acquired jointly by the STC and Morris School District. Homerooms at TJ will choose a tree to name and FoFPW will donate signs that describe the tree, its “name” and who and when it was adopted. 

        E. Karen and Susan met with all T.J. classes to introduce them to the trees and understory plants they chose last year for the student forest. 

        F. Lidgerwood restoration will continue with corporate group volunteer days. 

        G. New ornamental forest is described above in the Treasurer's section. 

 

8. Next Meeting: June 15, 6:30 in person near the dock. Sunset will be at 7:30 that evening.

 

9.  Adjournment: We adjourned without voting to do so at 7:43 (Susan L.’s mistake) 

 

Respectfully submitted, 

Susan

Monday March 9, 2026

7 PM on Zoom 

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1. Attendance: Karen, Linda, Joan, Judy, Lisa, Kristine, John L., Gail, Thelma, Chris E., Suzanne, Susan L. 

 

2. Feb 2026 Minutes: Kristine moved to approve the February 2026 Minutes, and Joan seconded. There were no corrections, all approved. 

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3. Treasurer's Report: We have about $18,000 in our account. Susan moved that we spend $1,000 with Pinelands Nursery and $2,500 with New Moon and Kind Earth for plant material. Joan seconded and all approved. 

We are sharing a Pinelands truck with POWWW in Denville and our costs are reduced by $100.

Plants ordered for other 501c3 orgs are not charged the extra 10% for FoFPW. 

 

4. Membership - We need someone to slowly take over membership from Kristine

 

5. Volunteering/Restoration 

        A.Volunteer Sundays resume March 15, 1:00-3:00.

             We will skip Easter Sunday April 5 

        B. Scouts return Saturday April 11 2:00 4:00. 

            Joan will help and possibly Karen

        C. ADP returns Friday April 17 at 10 am. We may have them work in Lidgerwood, completing the native hedge row. Anyone willing to help please contact Susan

       D. We have graphic design help from from Paul, a real professional. Signs will be made to ID important trees in the park, almost arboretum style. Susan will be sure we have  STC and Morristown approval

       E. Chris is planning an ornamental reforestation demonstration in FPW for his RES project. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase and experience Jean Epiphan's Ornamental Reforestation Concept.  

 

6. Bat house: will be installed March 30, early afternoon.  FOFPW will reimburse Morristown $1,255

 

7. Goose Mitigation: Linda explained that it's time to watch for resident geese pairing off. We have all proper papers filed to allow egg replacement with wooden ones if needed. No geese have nested at FPW or Windmill for two years and we hope to continue to be free of nesting geese. 

 

 8. Next Meeting: April 13, 6:30 in person near the dock. Sunset will be at 7:30 that evening.

 

9.  Adjournment: Linda moved and Judy seconded. All voted in favor of adjournment at 7:32

 

Respectfully submitted,

Susan

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Monday February 9, 2026

7 PM on Zoom 

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  1. Attendance: Allen, Kristine, Suzanne, Lisa, Judy, Scott, Chris, John L., Susan 

  2. Jan. 2026 minutes: Kristine moved to approve, Susan seconded. Unanimously approved with the correction to add Lisa’s name in attendance. 

  3. Treasurer’s report: Debbie sent a note that we have approximately $19,000 in our account. We have received $725 in individual donations in January, plus $334 from the Benevity and Verizon matches, totaling $1,059. $50 was in Willie’s memory. 

  4. Website: John F. Let us know that he has added an owl box story to the site. When he added the Jan minutes, he noted that our minutes are posted all the way back to 2020! Lastly, anyone with FPW content, a brief write up, or photos, please send to John. New content is always appreciated, it keeps the site fresh.

  5. Membership: Kristine and Thelma worked together to add required IRS to our thank you emails. Susan will send this to Lisa in a printable version to be added to hand-written thank you notes. 

  6. Morristown Environmental Commission and Green Team: Suzanne has agreed to be our liaison to the newly reforming EC and Green team run by Stefan. 

  7. Bird boxes: Greg braved the weather and cleaned out the bluebird boxes and so they will be ready for spring nesting. He will circle back to one that is sheltering mice. He didn’t want to evict them in the snow and cold. 

  8. Plant orders for spring: Susan has begun placing spring plant orders. Particularly pleased to find purple milkweed. We will vote to approve expenses in March.

  9. Volunteer days: Will begin when weather allows.

  10. Next meeting: March 9, 7 pm on Zoom.

  11. Adjournment: Susan moved to adjourn at 7:29, Kristine seconded, and all approved.

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Monday January 12, 2026

7 PM on Zoom 

                        

1. Attendance: Kristine, Debbie, John F., John L., Linda, Greg, Jeanne, Thelma, Susan, Joan, Judy, Suzanne, Lisa and Marcia.

 

2. November 2025 Minutes: Kristine moved to approve the Nov 2025 minutes; Debbie seconded. All voted in favor with one person abstaining.

 

3. Treasurer’s report: Debbie reported that we have close to $18,500 in our account. 

 

4. Website: John F. Continues to post our minutes and maintain the site. Discussion of new information followed. Susan will try to send photos and a narrative about some of the pocket restorations. 

 

5. Membership: Kristine reports that we have over 400 on our email list and approximately 120 contributing members. Jeanne may join her tracking members and donations. They may decide to upgrade to a paid version of MailerLite that will allow access to technical support and more than 500 on our mailing list. This would cost Approx $165 yearly. All comments were supportive. 

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6. Owl Boxes: John F. placed two new owl boxes that were donated by Thelma. He also cleaned the existing one out and removed a fourth that was falling apart. We sincerely thank John and Thelma and applaud the MHS team that cleared a mass of thorny invasives to make way for one of these owl boxes. 

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7. Restoration Projects for 2026:                                                                                                                                                                 A. Focus on maintenance of restored areas                                                                                                                                         B. Begin to control invasives in the dock area in preparation for planting a shrub thicket.                                                             C. Plan to shift the main meadow ecosystem toward a forest                                                                                                           All these will be discussed with Jean Epiphan for best practices.

 

8. Bat House: Thelma let us know that the bat house is ready to be installed when the weather warms. 

 

9. Next Meeting: Feb. 9, 2026 7 pm on Zoom

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10. Adjournment: Judy moved that we adjourn, Kristine seconded and all voted to end the meeting at 7:35 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Susan

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ANNUAL BOARD MEETING

Monday January 12, 2026

6:30 pm on Zoom

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 1. Attendance: Linda, Greg, Jeanne, Kristine, Debbie, Lisa, John L., John F., Thelma, Susan

 

2. Vote to renew terms through 2029: Susan moved to renew terms for John L., Linda and Michelle through 2029, Thelma seconded. Approved by unanimous vote.

 

3. Vote to renew officer terms for 2026: Susan as President, John L as secretary and Debbie as treasurer. Linda moved to approve these officers for 2026, Krisitne seconded. Approved by unanimous vote. 

 

4. Membership: Kristine will continue as membership chair and Jeanne will consider joining her. They may decide to upgrade to a paid level of MailerLite to accommodate an expanding mailing list, access technical support, and add more flexible login. 

 

5. Planning: Plans for restoration in 2026 were discussed. We will focus a good bit on maintenance.

 

6. Adjournment: Linda moved to adjourn, Kristine seconded. All voted in favor and we adjourned at 7:02pm

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Susan

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