Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Arbor Day topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Erie tree board finalizes Arbor Day logistics, raffle plan and 100-tree giveaway
Summary
Erie’s Tree Advisory Board approved meeting business and spent the session finalizing Arbor Day day‑of logistics: 41 vendors, two adult raffle rounds, kids activities, sandwich‑board signage, and a plan to give away 100 trees via QR signup and post‑event selection.
The Erie Tree Advisory Board approved its agenda and March minutes and focused the meeting on final preparations for Arbor Day, scheduled about two and a half weeks away. Chair (the meeting chair) said water restrictions would likely be the event’s top question and urged volunteers to emphasize that restrictions mean “more intelligent watering” rather than a ban on watering.
Board members moved quickly into operational items for the event. A committee member reported 41 vendors have committed, including five food vendors, and the planning group sketched a raffle plan featuring two adult raffle rounds with six prizes each plus a separate kids raffle. The group discussed prize formats (value packages vs. single items), ticketing logistics and lines, and whether winners should be allowed to choose their prize; organizers agreed winners should be able to select prizes when feasible.
On procurement and budget, members reviewed outside contributions and prior purchases that cover part of the prize list and discussed buying additional items before the event. The board noted existing contributions that include two rain barrels and several small home‑goods items from a partner group; committee members agreed to purchase remaining prizes and raffle tickets and to track receipts for budget coding. One member summarized the target prize budget as roughly $1,300 for the adult raffle prizes and associated items, with existing souvenir items and the kids’ gift cards already secured.
Day‑of logistics took up the bulk of planning. Members agreed to use sandwich boards and marquee displays to post the town’s current watering guidance and event schedule; communications staff will prepare window flyers, social posts and an ECC marquee entry and hold final printing until a few days before the event to accommodate last‑minute vendor changes. The board set a 07:30 arrival time for volunteers and organizers to set up, assigned an MC and prize‑booth leads, and discussed options to compensate volunteer support staff (for example, issuing volunteer coffee tickets and charging to the board’s budget as needed).
Kids’ activities and engagement ideas were also detailed: blind tree‑ID boxes, seed packets, stickers and a spin wheel were proposed to keep lines moving and make giveaways interactive. The board agreed seeds and pencils are low‑cost, reusable giveaways, and discussed whether to invest in a spinner wheel as a reusable asset for future events.
On tree giveaways, organizers confirmed a plan for a 100‑tree giveaway tied to an on‑site QR signup at the event. The selection process will be randomized on the Monday following Arbor Day, with deliveries beginning the following Tuesday. The board also discussed holding a brief ceremonial planting—flag/ribbon then planting—if elected officials are available.
The board closed with reminders about vendor assignments, a volunteer meeting the following day to finalize staffing, and follow‑ups to secure gift cards and raffle tickets. The meeting adjourned at 07:55.
