Milford advisory council discusses Tree City USA membership, Arbor Day events and public outreach

Member Tim, a Tree Preservation and Advisory Council member, called the Feb. 19, 2025, meeting to order and said the council had a quorum of three members present.

The council spent the meeting discussing how Milford could make greater use of its Tree City USA recognition, whether to hold an Arbor Day observance, possible attendance at a Delaware Tree and Climate workshop in April, and a Penn State Extension community tree plan the council members were asked to review. The council also discussed conducting public outreach or a resident survey to collect input on public trees and tree policy.

The Tree City USA discussion centered on the four standard recognition criteria: having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program and an annual Arbor Day proclamation/observance. A council member said the Arbor Day Foundation's National Arbor Day is April 25 and noted Milford's Bug and Bud festival is typically the day after, on April 26, which could present an opportunity for a joint public event or volunteer planting. Council members discussed planting locations downtown and near the farmers market and said volunteer recognition and signage are commonly used components of an Arbor Day event.

Members discussed the Tree City USA per-capita spending guideline (mentioned as $2 per capita) for planting, care and removal. A council member noted Milford's population is roughly 12,000 and said the $2-per-capita guideline would equate to about $24,000 per year; members said the city budget does not currently appear to reach that figure but that planning and targeted projects could help meet program expectations.

The council agreed it would be useful to invite a representative from the Arbor Day Foundation or the Delaware Forest Service to a future meeting to explain available technical assistance and grant opportunities. One member said they had reached out to state-level contacts and would continue to pursue an in-person presentation for the board.

On training and outreach, members discussed a Delaware Tree and Climate workshop that was postponed because of snow and was being rescheduled for April; several members said they would consider attending and that at least one council member's participation would be useful. The Penn State Extension community tree plan was introduced as background reading; members agreed to add discussion of that plan to a future agenda so the full board could consider using it as a framework for a Milford plan.

The council discussed public-engagement methods including a short survey or postcard, a QR-code link, and in-person canvassing at the farmers market, the Bug and Bud festival and other downtown events. Members suggested adding public outreach and a draft survey to unfinished business for the next meeting and asked members to propose specific questions in advance.

Procedural items: the council could not vote on minutes from Feb. 21, 2024, because the member who had previously voted on them (member Muldrow) was determined not to have been present at that meeting; the board deferred action on those minutes pending a future meeting when more members are present. The council approved the Nov. 20, 2024, minutes as written and later approved a motion to adjourn. The council set its next meeting dates as May 21, Aug. 20 and Nov. 19, 2025.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes, Nov. 20, 2024: Motion to approve the minutes as written was made and seconded; chair declared the motion approved. - Motion to adjourn: made, seconded and approved.

Next steps identified by the council included: inviting an Arbor Day/Delaware Forest Service representative to a future meeting, circulating the Delaware workshop agenda and Penn State materials to the full board, drafting a short public-survey instrument for discussion at the next meeting and placing the Penn State plan and public outreach on the agenda as unfinished business.