ANA Meeting Minutes

ANA board members in attendance: Tom Alagna, Steve Johnson, Nikki Lindberg, Peggy Rasmussen, Jim Steely, Jen Swanson, Keith Swanson, and Dan Sweeney

Others in attendance: David McNamer, Tara Carson, and Betsy Hodges

President Dan Sweeney called the meeting to order at 6:36 p.m.

Crime & Safety Committee Update – Keith Swanson

Nothing to report. It as been a nice quiet month.

Summer Festival Results- Jen Swanson

Total funds raised in-line with recent years. Car show was well received, and expect more cars next year. Considering adding more food vendors (and asking for a cut). Left over gift certificates to be used later as gifts from ANA. Suggested that we allot more space for games (to keep lines more spread out). Look into renting games, or other options for more diversity.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Presentation – Ralph Seivert (MPRB Director of Forestry)

EAB was first found in the U.S. in 2002 in Michigan. It was first found in Minnesota in 2009 and in Minneapolis in 2010. They affect green and white ash. The EAB is small (about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny). However, it is the larvae that do the damage (by cutting off water flow within the tree). Minnesota has the second most ash trees in the U.S. with 900 million trees. The Minneapolis tree canopy (boulevard trees) are 21% ash. Armatage has almost 700 ash trees on our boulevards (not including private and park property).

The purple traps are used only for detection, not for control. The MPRB has a grant they are using currently to begin replacing affected or weakened trees. Trees can be chipped for mulch (because by chipping small enough the larvae are destroyed). A diverse number of trees are being used to replace ash. Property owners do have treatment options, but the chemical used to abate the EAB is a regulated chemical and is to be used only by licensed contractors (listing online). Treatment must be continued annually to maintain effectiveness.

Full presentation will be available on the ANA website.More information can be found at www. mda.state.mn.us (keyword: ash borer), or by calling the Arrest the Pest Hotline 651-201-6684. Also, the MPRB Forestry Division website has information at www.minneapolisparks.org or by calling 612-313-7710.

City Council Update – Betsy Hodges

Budget hearings are starting soon, and opportunities for public comment will be availabe in November and December (dates to be announced). Some key topics include the current propety tax proposal (which would only be for pensions), and it is now legal to brew beer in the city.

The city wants to learn about your water use, please take the short water use survey online at
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/water/waterusesurvey.asp.

There are over 115 free wireless hot spots around the city. For a map of locations visit
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/wirelessminneapolis/

Meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.