Town of Cedar Lake Tree Board
Regular Meeting Minutes

Pledge of Allegiance

Mr. Wroe called the meeting to order and led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call / Confirmation of Quorum

Members Present: Cliff Wroe, Chairperson; Jeff Bunge, Vice Chairperson; Joyce Ivey, Secretary; Greg Marquardt; Chris Titus.

Staff Absent: Benjamin Eldridge, Town Manager; Mindi Ray, Parks Superintendent; Cheryl Hajduk, Recording Secretary.

All five members of the Tree Board were present. A quorum was confirmed.

Approval of Minutes

Special Organizational Meeting — March 26, 2026

The draft minutes of the March 26, 2026 Special Organizational Meeting were distributed to members in advance. One amendment was raised prior to the motion: the reference to “Leo’s” in the Arbor Day section should be updated to “Leo’s Garden Center” to properly credit the donor.

Motion to approve the March 26, 2026 Special Organizational Meeting minutes as amended (updating “Leo’s” to “Leo’s Garden Center”) made by Mr. Bunge; seconded by Mr. Marquardt.

Motion carries, 5–0.

Old Business

5. November Meeting Date — Change Required

The Board’s regular November meeting falls on November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving Day), requiring the Board to designate an alternate date. Three options were presented: November 19 (one week prior), December 3 (one week after), or another date of the Board’s choosing. Members expressed no preference between the two primary options.

Motion to reschedule the November 2026 regular meeting to Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. made by Mr. Marquardt; seconded by Mr. Titus.

Motion carries, 5–0.

New Business

6. Preferred Tree List

Mr. Wroe presented a draft Preferred Tree List compiled from several sources: an existing rudimentary species guide originally developed by Michelle Baker (Building and Planning Department), the Crown Point Tree List, and the Chesterton Tree List. AI tools were used to compile the sources into a consolidated draft for Board review.

Mr. Titus reported he is reviewing the draft against the National Arborist Society reference book and has identified discrepancies — primarily relating to disease susceptibility, insect vulnerabilities, and invasive characteristics — that he would like to fully vet before the list is finalized. He asked for additional time to complete his review. The Board agreed that accuracy is paramount; publishing incorrect or misleading guidance is worse than no guidance.

Discussion covered the intended uses for the list:

• Primary guide for developers and homeowners making planting decisions in rights-of-way, platted lots, and parks
• Long-term goal to codify in the Town’s Building and Zoning Manual, in coordination with the Plan Commission, by end of year per an applicable state deadline for ordinance updates
• Available online and possibly as a printed handout
• Could include photos, mature size, and maintenance characteristics for accessibility
• To be shared with the Park Board and Park Foundation to inform park planting decisions

On invasive species, Mr. Wroe noted that callery (Bradford) pear varieties, once popular with developers for their fast growth and low cost, have been fully removed from acceptable species lists statewide due to invasiveness in open spaces. This is reflected in the draft.

Mr. Bunge noted he has a nephew, David, who is an arborist with the Village of Homewood, Illinois, and has offered to provide Homewood’s preferred tree guide. Although Homewood skews toward smaller-scale species due to its dense Cook County infrastructure, the guide may still offer useful reference points. Mr. Bunge expects to receive it before the next meeting.

The Board agreed to continue refining the list by email between now and the July 23 meeting, with the goal of presenting a finalized draft to the Plan Commission for incorporation into the zoning manual revision.

Motion to carry the Preferred Tree List forward to the July 23, 2026 meeting for further review and possible action made by Mr. Titus; seconded by Mr. Marquardt.

Motion carries, 5–0.

7. Arbor Day 2026 — Debrief

Mr. Wroe thanked the full Board for their participation in Cedar Lake’s first Arbor Day observance on April 24, 2026 — from packaging bare-root seedlings ahead of the event, to staffing the table at Lion’s Den Park, to planting the remaining saplings in the temporary nursery at Robin’s Nest Park afterward.

Temporary Nursery

Approximately 20 remaining bare-root seedlings were planted in a designated area at Robin’s Nest Park. Mr. Titus noted the site is isolated, on a slope that retains moisture naturally, and should be low-maintenance. The nursery provides the Town with a standing supply of trees available to repopulate parks or replace removed specimens as needed.

Improvements for 2027

Ms. Ivey led the debrief discussion. Suggestions for next year:

• Larger table space at the distribution station
• Cone-shaped bags (similar to flower bags) to make tree and soil packaging easier
• A proper garden tool available at the packaging station for filling bags with dirt
• Waterproofed planting instruction sheets — the paper flyers disintegrated when wet; options include lamination, stapling instructions to a larger bag, or a protective sleeve
• Maintain assembly-line packaging workflow, which proved efficient once established
• Pursue partnerships with schools, Boy Scout troops, and Cub Scout packs to increase community presence and youth engagement at the event
• Expand conservation education component in the handout packet to reach younger residents

Leo’s Garden Center Donation

Leo’s Garden Center donated and planted a flowering cherry tree at the Arbor Day event, valued at $415.39. The Board acknowledged this contribution and noted the updated credit will appear in the approved March 26 minutes.

Media Coverage

Mr. Bunge noted it was gratifying to have a reporter from the local paper present at the event and encouraged the Board to continue building media relationships for future observances.

Species Variety — Park Board Coordination

Mr. Marquardt noted that the Park Board’s tree purchases have trended toward a single species (cherry trees). The Tree Board’s preferred species list, once finalized, should be shared with the Park Board to encourage greater diversity in park plantings. Mr. Wroe noted that Indiana State Nursery seedling orders require a minimum of 100 trees per species, which limits variety at the giveaway scale but does not restrict park-level purchasing.

No formal vote required. Discussion item; improvements to be incorporated into planning for Arbor Day 2027.

8. Tree City USA Application Update

Mr. Wroe reported the application is substantially complete. Status of the four required program elements:

• Tree Board — Complete. Established by Ordinance No. 1520.
• Tree Care Ordinance — Complete. Adopted as part of the Tree Board enabling ordinance.
• Arbor Day Observance — Complete. April 24, 2026 event documented.
• Per-Capita Expenditure — Pending. The Arbor Day Foundation requires documentation of at least $2.00 per capita in municipal tree-related expenditures. Mr. Wroe will work with Public Works to compile records of tree-related activities (leaf collection, limb pickup, tree removal, stump grinding, and similar work) that are already tracked departmentally. He is confident the $2.00 threshold will be met; most communities significantly exceed it.

The application window opens in September 2026. Mr. Wroe expects to have documentation assembled and the application ready for submission at that time.

9. Tree Inventory — Initial Discussion

Mr. Wroe reported on initial methodology testing for a GIS-based town tree inventory, a goal identified at the March 26 organizational meeting. Key findings:

• Field Testing on Town Grounds: Mr. Wroe tested GPS-based data collection on the Town Grounds, logging approximately 10 trees. The process involves walking to each tree, inserting a GPS receiver (existing Town equipment), waiting a few seconds for location lock, and selecting the species from a dropdown on a phone app. The data uploads to a map automatically. The per-tree time investment is minimal.
• Cost: Zero incremental cost using equipment the Town already owns. Labor is the only input.
• Peer Models: Mr. Wroe reviewed approaches used by Highland, Indiana and the City of Goshen, Indiana, which have both implemented GIS tree inventories. Approaches range from full third-party contracting to entirely internal data collection; Mr. Wroe favors an internal collaborative model.
• Proposed Approach: Distribute the workload across Parks, Public Works, and Tree Board volunteers. Parks crew could log trees during routine mowing; Public Works could log during tree-related maintenance. Mr. Marquardt volunteered to assist with field collection.
• GIS Platform: Mr. Wroe has state-level GIS resources available and is evaluating whether to build on an existing platform or overlay on a provided base map. He expects to have a more defined methodology ready to present at the July 23 meeting.

Mr. Marquardt noted that the trees on the Town Hall grounds are showing signs of age and decline and suggested they be prioritized in any inventory and replacement planning.

Public Comment

Barbara Orze — 10290 W. 138th Place

Ms. Orze expressed appreciation for the Board’s work and thanked members for taking trees seriously as a community asset. She raised the following points:

• Crown Point’s Tree Program as a Model: Ms. Orze noted she had reviewed Crown Point’s comprehensive tree guide (approximately 10 pages) and encouraged Cedar Lake to aim for a similarly thorough resource.
• Subdivision Ordinance 398 — Two-Tree Requirement: Ms. Orze cited Subdivision Ordinance No. 398, Title VI, Section 13 (Trees), which requires a subdivider to plant or cause to be planted at least two trees on each platted lot as a condition of plat approval, with location and species subject to Plan Commission requirements. She noted the ordinance was last updated in 2010 and has not been consistently enforced — she and her neighbors received only one tree each in a four-year-old subdivision.
• Developer Compliance: Ms. Orze observed that across multiple Cedar Lake subdivisions, planted trees are frequently dead, stressed, or missing within a short period, and that developers appear to be paying minimal attention to tree quality and placement.
• Tree Preservation During Construction: She referenced ordinances in other communities requiring developers to either preserve significant trees during construction or pay a per-tree penalty and replant a proportional number. She cited the removal of mature oak trees along 133rd Avenue during construction of a nearby church as an example.
• Education: Ms. Orze noted that many new homeowners do not understand tree maintenance obligations (watering, feeding) and suggested the Board consider educational materials as part of its outreach.
• Youth Engagement: She encouraged the Board to involve school science classes, Boy Scouts, and similar youth organizations in the tree inventory project, noting cataloging work would be an excellent civic education project.

Board members thanked Ms. Orze and agreed with her observations. Mr. Wroe noted her comments reinforced the Board’s priority of coordinating with the Plan Commission to incorporate the Preferred Tree List into the zoning manual revision. Mr. Bunge noted any meaningful expansion of the tree ordinance would need to be completed before the zoning manual update is finalized, given the state deadline at year-end.

Discussion following Ms. Orze’s comments also touched on the Bald Cypress as an emerging preferred species. Mr. Marquardt noted healthy specimens at Lemon Lake County Park. Mr. Bunge’s nephew David confirmed the Village of Homewood, Illinois has added Bald Cypress to their preferred species list, sourcing from northern Illinois nurseries that have cold-hardened the trees through multiple winters before sale.

No further public comment was received.

Next Meeting Date

The next regular Tree Board meeting is confirmed for Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 3:00 p.m., Cedar Lake Town Hall Meeting Room.

Note: The November 2026 regular meeting has been rescheduled from November 26 (Thanksgiving) to Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.

Adjournment

Motion to adjourn made by Ms. Ivey; seconded by Mr. Bunge.

Motion carries, 5–0. Meeting adjourned at 3:29 p.m.