9.e Report on application for DNR grant for Emerald Ash BorerSCANDILA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: August 21St, 2018
To: City Council
From: Adam Hawkinson, Director of Public Works
Re: DNR - EAB Grant submission and acceptance — 2018 - 2019
Background:
The Emerald Ash Bore, EAB, has been detected in nearby communities and will eventually impact the City of
Scandia. The MN Department of Natural Resources has programs that provide grants to help communities
plan for impacts of environmental changes such as the impacts of the Ash Bore. Staff has requested $10,000
to carry out the goals mentioned in the grant application. The application is Due Aug. 24th and support of the
community is one of the requirements of the grant.
Issue:
At this time our tree ordinance is out of date and lacks focus on how to deal with the impacts EAB. Staff would
benefit greatly by having plan to help contain EAB, to public educate the public, and how to deal with the
deforestation and reforestation of the community.
Proposal Details:
Staff would like the full support of the council to submit and accept the grant for EAB support if awarded. The
grant would enable the council to make decisions based on information gathered by an outside professional
organization, update the City's Tree Ordinance for the City, and provide the community awareness.
Fiscal Impact:
NONE
Options:
1. Support RESOLUTION NO.: 08-21-18-01
2. Do not Support RESOLUTION NO.: 08-21-18-01
Recommendation:
Option #1
Managing Ash for Emerald Ash Borer in Community Forests
Final Application
Please refer to the Request for Proposal (RFP) when completing this application.
Organization: city of scandia
Project Coordinator: Adam Hawkinson 'Title: Public Works Director
Phone: office 651-433-5223 Cell 651-235-5218
Email: a.hawkinson&i.scandia.mn.us
m
DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL RESOURCES
Grant amount requested: 10,000.00 Non-federal cash match contributions (not required):_
Non-federal in-kind match contributions (not required):
Project Scope
Please check all boxes that apply.
❑✓ Tree inventory, survey, or ash only inventory
❑ Ash removal and/or stump grinding
❑ Tree planting
❑✓ EAB management plan
F-1 Ash non-neonicotinoid injectable insecticide treatment
❑✓ Outreach to citizens
Project Overview (1,500 character maximum including spaces)
Provide a summary of the project. Describe how this grant will help you implement your EAB management plan, if
you already have one. Please describe expected accomplishments.
The goal of the project is to inventory the ash trees on City owned property, create an EAB ordinance and
plan, educate the public about the impact of EAB on the community, inform the citizens on processes used to
contain the species, and possible treatment options.
The grant would aid the City of Scandia in:
- Identifying the inventory of ash trees the City needs to monitor, treat, or have removed -Not to include Road
Right of Way.
- Aid the City in budgeting for the management of EAB program
- Establish a process and procedure for EAB identification, removal, protocols, and criteria for the decision
making processes
- Assist in creating a community plan for the future; tree planting programs, variety diversity
- Acquire an approximate inventory of Ash trees in the community to evaluate community wide impact
- Create educational opportunities for the public
- Identified the resources needed to continue to maintain an EAB program in the future.
Outside consulting staff would help us disseminate the information and the above elements to move the City
forward in a proactive approach to addressing EAB.
Key Personnel (790 character maximum including spaces)
Based on your project overview, please describe what duties internal staff will conduct, what work will get contracted
out, or what partnerships you will leverage to complete tasks. This should include a description of key personnel and
their past experience with similar tasks as well as education or certifications. If you expect to contract work out, please
describe requirements you will have for contractors.
Internal staff would:(P.W. Director,City Administrator,City Engineer )provide maps / boundaries of the City
owned properties, provide tree ordinance and policy, provide communication between City Administrator /
City Council and contractor - PW Dir. - Certified tree inspector 12 years, B.S. UWRF, U of M Grounds
supervisor 9 years, Shade Tree Short
Contractor would: organize the materials to create an EAB plan / ordinance
- provide the City with an Ash tree inventory on public owned priority and an approximation of the
percentage of trees in the City are susceptible to EAB
- provide materials to help inform the public of their options for treating EAB and how to prevent the spread
- provide an approximate cost for resources to manage EAB and to continue an EAB program.
Timeline (1,150 character maximum including spaces)
Please describe the approximate project schedule showing intermediate steps and major milestones.
After notification of an approved grant by September 14th 2018, the next step would be to get approval by the
City council to acceptance of the grant at the October 16th meeting. After approval the City would seek
professionals to perform the services requested through the grant. During the November council meeting the
service provider would be selected. Prior to the service provider performing the services here would be a
pre -services meeting to layout the information sharing process, scheduled times to meet for updates, designate a
center point of contact (CPC) for each entity, and confirm contact information between the City and the service
provider. December of 2018 the services could begin with setting up the tree ordinance, evaluating the tree
populations, and providing public information. If identification in the field is hindered by weather and access,
then the identification and population study would continue in the spring of 2019 with a proposed deadline of
June 1 st to have the information available for the City Council to review. Implementation of the EAB ordinance
and program would take place in July or August 2019.
Communication (800 character maximum including spaces)
Please describe what methods you will use to conduct outreach to citizens about EAB or this grant project.
2 - planned speaking/ educational events, pamphlets available at City Hall, include a pamphlet in the Welcome
to Scandia basket, on-line informational postings and links to other EAB information. Have displays at City
events such as Vinterfest and Taco Daze with a MDA personnel or forester available to share information.
Measurable Results and Significant On -The -Ground Outcomes Expected
Measure
Outcome
Tree inventory conducted
Accurate count of City Ash trees, Community wide estimation of ash numbers
EAB management plan developed
A feasible plan the City can effectively implement
Number of ash removed
Any infected on City property, Engage the public to follow suit
Number of ash treated
Provide: Guidelines, resources, and information
Treatment methods:
for the public to make an educated decision to
Treatment materials:
Treatment Rates:
treat or remove
Number of trees planted
Replacement of as many trees as removed, provide seedling opportunities to the
Number of citizens impacted by outreach
Each household
Project Budget Explanation (800 character maximum including spaces)
Provide any additional remarks to clarify your budget request. Provide an explanation ifyou have a partner
contributing funds or how you are funding portions of your project that are not eligible with these grant dollars.
At this time we have not approached other funding contributers. We have a strong Lions Organization within
the Community and a non-profit organization called Friends of Scandia Parks. They would be resources to
approach for additional funding if needed. Other funding would be through the City and would have to
approved in the budgeting process. I am attaching what we currently have for a tree policy in the return email.
In early June I believe I saw an actual bore on site in the City. It was reported. Since they may be present
already,we need a plan and some guidance to approach the issue logically and methodically.