Executive Council Meeting
Commission Headquarters, Jefferson City MO
December 8, 2016
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Minutes
Welcome & Introductions – Scott Skopec welcomed everyone to the meeting, and the
following were in attendance: Sarah Crocker, Dean Alberty, Martha Clark, Jason Pratte, Russell
Hinnah, Kyle Monroe, Josh Behonuek, Casey Jo Kellner, Austin Lampe, Mark McCarthy, Ron
Lumb, Tom Ebeling, Nina Wayrowski, Helene Miller, Stacy Armstrong, Jon Skinner, Gene
Brunk, and Cindy Garner.
Minutes Read and Approved – Scott asked if anyone had changes to the minutes from the
December 8, 2016 meeting. Martha Clark made a motion to accept the minutes as presented.
Ron Lumb seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
Treasurer Report – With Brett’s absence, Scott submitted the following Treasurer Report:
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Regular share (savings)-$10,263.47
02 Northwest-$0.01
03 Northeast -$0.01
04 Central-$2,263.36
05 St. Louis Christmas club $1,520.20
07 Southwest- $376.90
77 East Central $ 2,584.70
76 Square CC- $2,485.69
75 Regular checking-$44,705.13
o New Expenses to Subtract:
 400 calendars - $1,868.36
 Mulch signs - $1,467.98
Total of all accounts - $60,863.13
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Expenses this period included website maintenance costs of $498.71, Constant Contact
monthly payment of $38.00, meal for state MCFC meeting of $161.18. Revenue was
mostly from the interest/dividends on accounts.
Future Expenses will include special event insurance for annual conference for $298.00.
The check was sent on November 29, 2016 but to date has not been cashed yet.
Insurance will be issued one check is cleared. A credit card deposit for conference
transportation in the amount of $2,005.60 has not been charged yet.
Old Business
Update: City Scape
Fall City Scape was emailed out electronically to 921 people. Of those emailed 898 were
delivered successfully and 22 percent opened the email. Scott commented that Brett does a
really good job with it and included several good pictures. Austin brought up that during the
strategic plan there was an article of “I am Community Forestry” for each issue but haven’t
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included it yet. There was a suggestion made to develop a template for the article. Jon
volunteered to do a final review for editing of the City Scape issues.
Update: State letter to State Forester
Scott reported the state letter was sent out in November.
Update: Website Prescription
Martha reported that the website has been updated with all the current items. If anyone notices
any issues or has suggestions please let her know. She mentioned that she does not have
permissions to set up links for our Facebook page. Casey will get with Martha on those
passwords. Suggestion was made to have the link added for MCFC Constant Contact sign-up.
The more people we can link to us, the more traffic will be directed to our website.
Update: Coordination of Legislation Day in April of 2017
It has been determined that Mike Hoffman is organizing the event and he sent the
Communications Committee a list of information which Martha has completed already. Martha
also mentioned that Mike is putting together a book of forestry related organizations which
MCFC will have two pages of information. The event will be April 12, 2017. A suggestion was
made to come up with a promotional item to hand out (i.e. Post it’s with a tree benefit listed,
potted seedlings, or a tree placed with moss in a bag). Cindy volunteered to contact Laurie with
Conservation Federation of Missouri and copy Mike Hoffman in asking questions about having a
table or booth and the game plan for the day. She will inform the group of the details she finds
out. Helene Miller made a motion for up to $100.00 be allocated for the use of the promotional
items for Legislation Day. Ron Lumb seconded the motion. The motion was amended by Josh
Behonuek to up that amount to $500.00. The amended motion was seconded by Tom Ebeling;
the motion carried.
Update: Poster Contest
The posters are in and numbers are down again this year. Casey mentioned she attended some
of the schools and the overall response was the curriculum was hard to teach this year. A
suggestion was made to pay someone to develop the curriculum targeting the five areas of
Trees Work. Casey is going to work on getting a quote from a local company. Another
suggestion was also made to change the grade levels to a range from 4-6th grade. Ann would
like to see the SW Region talk with the rest of the group on how they promote their Poster
Contest. Any ideas you have on poster contest, please send them to Casey, Jacob, Holly, or
Sarah.
Update: 2018 Conference – Central Region
The group reported that Jacob is the Chair of the planning committee.
Update: 2017 Conference Planning – Springfield Region
Casey reported that the price between early bird and regular registration will remain the same
however, the early bird registrants will receive a messenger bag. Casey passed around an
updated Conference at a glance budget to those attending the meeting. The committee has
applied a ISA exam ahead of the conference on Monday. As far as registration goes they are
currently waiting for BPT to approve the event. Casey had asked if the funds from the 5k can
stay in SW region which had some discussion on the floor.
Update: Volcane Mulching
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Dean has talked with Lowe’s and will be able to provide contacts at next meeting. Lowe’s asked
that after the mulching season is over they would like the signs to be taken down. Lowe’s will
provide a start and a removal date with hanging the signs. Dean was informed that all stores will
follow suit. He will be working on contacting Home Depot next. The signs have been placed
around the region. There hasn’t been any feedback yet from general public. Suggestion was
made to evaluate feedback from Lowes before purchasing signs for all the regions. Cindy will
get with those who want some extra signs and email out prices on their local printing company.
Forest ReLeaf will take back the demo banner sign to hang up at their nursery. Cindy will also
email the design out to the regions.
Update: Springfield’s Tree Canopy Policy
Casey reported the Tree City Committee presented the letter to the Mayor where a small
publicity event was held. They are thankful for the support from the group.
Update: Tree Topping Mailing
Josh wrote a letter and sent it out to review but didn’t receive any feedback. He is looking for
physical mailing address for tree care companies. Each region needs to provide Josh with a list
of tree care companies so he can send the letter and 25 of the tree topping brochure out for the
companies to pass out to their clients.
New Business
Regions Grow
 Suggestion was made to host more events among the regions which will engage more
people. Hannibal holds the Folklike Festival. Kyle said this was the first year giving away
a tree. He said he emailed all the names he received from the drawing to let them know
of upcoming events.
 An idea come from the floor to create a retractable exhibit. Scott asked each region to
develop some ideas and present at the next meeting in April. Also need to decide if the
group would like to just make one for statewide or one for each region.
 Gene mentioned another suggestion of using the resources among MDC. Have the
Regional Supervisors build into their management plan asking how can you help us
establish more participation amount MCFC Groups.
Constant Contact
 Josh reported there are over 900 contacts in group. There are several unassigned
people to regions.
Program Reports
Communications Committee
The group met in Columbia mainly discussing the Plant MOre trees app. They came up with
idea to put together information and marketing materials. Martha Clark made a motion to use up
to $3,000.00 for designing of informational and marketing materials for Vison 20/20 and Plant
MOre Trees. Ron Lumb seconded motion; by raise of hands the motion carried.
Education/Outreach Committee
Tom mentioned that Mike Walsh emailed out application for Scholarship to Conference.
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Membership Committee
 No Report
Missouri Arbor Award of Excellence Committee
 No Report
Poster Contest Committee
 No report
Liaison Reports
Utility Arborist Association – Scott Skopec
 UA is partnered with Arbor Day Foundation to bring back Trees and Utilities Conference
in September 26 in Kansas City.
Missouri Department of Conservation – Russell Hinnah reported on the following:
 Missouri Arbor Award of Excellence
o Nominations period open now and will closed the first of January.
o Sent mailing out and will be doing a press release soon.
 TRIM Grants are going. Finished paying our last two out of FY16.
 New Director, Sarah Parker Pauley, started November 1st.
 TCUSA, TreeLine and Tree Campus apps are starting to come in for review.
Forest ReLeaf
Project CommuniTree:
We still have thousands of free trees and shrubs available for the next week or two then we will
be overwintering them in our hoophouse. If you are interested in more trees this fall please
contact Mike Walsh as soon as possible. We have awarded more than 5,000 trees to 80
projects this fall. We delivered nearly 1,500 trees to Kansas City for 6 planting projects in
western MO.
We also delivered over 400 trees to the Joplin region (4 communities); this will be the last round
of free homeowner giveaway trees for Joplin. We are planning another delivery to Springfield
during the MCFC conference in 2017 and again to Kansas City next fall.
Priority ReLeaf
We have allocated 4,055 trees and shrubs to 48 projects this fall. This includes 900 trees for
Ward 1 in the City of St. Louis to replace ash trees. We will have very few larger trees available
for spring distribution and sales.
ReLeaf Sales:
We sold more than $20,000 in trees/shrubs/wildflowers this fall. Revenue supports our free tree
distribution programs.
PlantMOreTrees App:
We have been having discussions with Plan-IT GEO about how we would like to make
improvements to the app since the $10,000 TRIM grant was awarded. We have identified 3 priorities
that Plan-IT GEO is currently working on adding to the app:
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1) Create a means for members of the public to quickly and easily plot trees without creating
an account
2) Create a means for those with existing inventory data to do a mass upload
3) Improve the aesthetics of the app
FRM will have a phone conference with Plan-IT GEO in the near future to discuss a time table of
when we can expect the updates to be completed. Plan-IT GEO will provide example mock-ups of
the improvements at the time of our phone call to give a visual idea of what the improvements will
look like and how they will function.
Data entry is ongoing, but will be increasing greatly in the coming weeks because the end of the
busy season is finally here and Tom will be available to devote much more time and effort to the
App. FRM will be purchasing a tablet in the near future so that data entry in the field can be
conducted. Tom will be spending this winter tracking down planting projects from our current give
away season and plotting them.
If you would like your newly planted trees plotted, please contact Tom and he will make
arrangements to do so.
Other Updates
We will once again host a MCFC Pruning Day in Creve Coeur Park to kill pear trees on December
17th, last year we killed more than 1,000 wild growing ornamental pear trees.
The Student & Professional Scholarship has been updated for the 2017 conference. We have also
announced our 2017 Summer Internship for the nursery.
The last of the four Ash ReLeaf neighborhood planting events was held on December 3rd in Ward 1
of St. Louis. Forest ReLeaf received significant funding from the Mysun Charitable Foundation and
Wells Fargo/National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to plant these trees, while at the same time raise
awareness in the community about the benefits of trees and create a neighborhood-based planting
model that can be used in other areas moving forward. Media coverage included an international
story for Associated Press, which will air soon.
FWAM and the FKN are collaborating on plans to bring operations and communications in closer
alignment for 2017. The groups will work with MCFC on a Legislative Day next spring as well.
Forest ReLeaf is currently recruiting for a Volunteer Coordinator, a new role for our organization;
interested individuals should contact [email protected]. Amy Klein has been promoted to
Development and Marketing Manager; Wendy recently took a new position at St. Louis University.
Mo. Dept. of Transportation – No Report
Mo. Forest Products Association- Mark McCarthy reported the following:
 Urban Harvesting idea to help with EAB situation. Don Peterson has been their contact.
 Winter Meeting is coming up in January
University/Extension – No Report
Missouri Parks & Recreation Association – Jan Neitzert/Gary Gates – No Report
Federated Garden Clubs – No Report
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NRCS State Forester – Nate Goodrich – No Report
SMA –
 Looking for award nominations.
 Municipality Forestry Institute in California announced their Conference. Registration
includes all meals and lodging.
MWISA –
 Just sent out announcement for scholarships to students for $1,000.00. Awarded 7
grants for projects. SW Region received one for Conference and STL received one for
an underground electrical workshop.
 Conference will be February 1st – 3rd in St Louis.
MOFRAC – Gene Brunk gave the following report.
 The group met 12/07/16. It was a combination meeting between MOFRAC and Tree
Farm Committee.
 The main thing relating to MCFC was a presentation about the shortleaf pine initiative.
Objective is to expand introduction of SLP back to appropriate sites. Most interesting
thoughts were placing SLP in the right place.
 Gene updated them on the 20/20 Vision and Volcano Mulching.
 Hank Stelzier briefed everyone on updates with the University. He will be the editor on
Green Horizons. His duties have changed drastically. The new curriculum has been
approved and still looking for a chancellor position.
Region Reports & Volunteer Hours
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Kansas City – Helene reported that Sarah Crowder started last February. Been doing a
great job and seeing a lot of volunteer days. The region has been seeing a bunch of Ash
dying.
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Northwest – Martha Clark reported their region held a tree care workshop on 10/29/16.
There was a good deal of attendance. They are trying to get St. Joe to develop a plan for
EAB. Total of 38 volunteer hours.
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Central – Austin reported the region is kicking off their Tap Root Series again this year. It
will start the middle of March and will be tapping Maple trees. They have started going over
the 2018 conference. Jacob is the Chair of the committee and has started talking about
hotels. Total of 22 volunteer hours.
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Northeast – Kyle reported that a small group is going to get together and prune at a local
cemetery. Total of 32 volunteer hours.
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East Central/St. Louis – Tom reported the Tap Root committee is seeking nominations for
a committee chair. Ben Grossman and Mike Walsh have left the committee. There was a
Career Fair at Meremec where four MCFC members were present answering questions.
ISA training course will be February 9th – 10th with the exam on the 11th. Total of 40
volunteer hours.
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Southwest – The region has been focusing on conference and getting everything ready.
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Joplin hosted a pruning day. The region has also been working on the mulching campaign.
Total of 186 volunteer hours.
The group voted to hold a State Meeting on February 9th.
Adjournment – with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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