City of Ann Arbor  
301 E. Huron St.  
Ann Arbor, MI 48104  
http://a2gov.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx  
Meeting Minutes - Draft  
Tuesday, May 12, 2026  
9:00 AM  
This meeting is Audio only. To speak at public comment call:  
877-853-5247  
Webinar ID: 943 5402 4789  
Electronic Meeting  
Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chairperson Wieland called the meeting to order at 9:05am.  
ROLL CALL  
Chairperson Richard Wieland – home, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County  
Member Brooks Curtis – home, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County  
Member Lynn Nybell – home, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County  
Member Robertson Davenport – Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor,  
Washtenaw County  
Member Samuel Rosewig – Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor  
Charter Township, Washtenaw County  
Staff present: Nicholas Jacob, Urban and Community Forester; Kyle Tite,  
Public Works Supervisor - Forestry; Paul Matthews, Public Works  
Manager; Jamie Pauline, Urban Forest Partnership and Outreach  
Coordinator  
5 -  
Present  
Lynn Nybell, Richard Wieland, Brooks Curtis, Samuel  
Rosewig, and Robert Davenport  
2 - Kimberley Sundy, and David Penland  
Absent  
APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
Add:  
- Barbara Lucas/Tree Town Urban Forest Team's proposal,  
immediately after Janet Osborn's proposal  
Member Rosewig motioned to approve the agenda with the  
proposed change. Member Curtis seconded. Motion passed  
unanimously.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
The notes for the section "How to Increase Tree Plantings While  
Reducing Damage and Park Maintenance Time" were accidentally  
omitted. This discussion comprised a substantial portion of the April  
meeting.  
The April 2026 draft minutes will be updated with this content, then sent  
out to the members for review before being brought for a vote at the next  
meeting.  
Member Nybell motioned to postpone the approval of the April 2026  
meeting minutes until the next meeting. Member Curtis seconded.  
The motion passed unanimously (5-0).  
Draft Meeting Minutes for the Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee - April 14th, 2026  
26-0815  
BUSINESS  
Staff Report - Jamie Pauline  
- Chairperson Wieland reports that the Green Fair will be September  
18th.  
- Pioneer High School/Arbor Day planting went well. The students  
seemed enthusiastic and engaged. Five trees - a hackberry, a London  
planetree, a Kentucky coffeetree, a ginkgo, and a sweetgum - were  
planted along the South Main side of the Pioneer High School property.  
- LSNC Earth Day was well-attended, with an estimated table attendance  
of 250 people.  
- Member Nybell would like to return to Pioneer High School for future  
collaboration.  
Staff Report for the Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee: May 12th, 2026  
26-0808  
Proposal: Janet Osborn/West Liberty - Jamie Pauline  
Janet Osborn requested EDFC funding of some tree replacements in the  
600 block of W Liberty. Paul Matthews informed the committee that there  
is an upcoming water main replacement in the area of interest and  
advised that they hold off on planting until the work is done. The  
committee plans to vote on the proposal in the fall.  
Proposal Application for the Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee: Janet Osborn,  
April 2026  
26-0811  
Proposal: Barbara Lucas/Tree Town Urban Forest Team - Richard Wieland  
Barbara Lucas of Tree Town Urban Forest Team (TTUF) requested  
funding for the purchase of tree guards. Chairperson Wieland had been  
in communication with Barbara and informed the committee that she had  
already purchased the guards. Committee members expressed approval  
for the idea and consternation over the prospect of reimbursements.  
Parks should also approve any work on Parks land before that work is  
done.  
Chairperson Wieland motioned to reject the proposal. Member  
Curtis seconded. The motion to reject passed unanimously (5-0).  
Project Proposal Application for the Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee: Barbara  
Lucas, May 4th, 2026  
26-0834  
Conflict of Interest Disclosure - Richard Wieland  
Chairperson Wieland recently became a board member of CAN  
Washtenaw. The city has been made aware of this. So long as there is no  
personal financial gain by the chair or his relatives, he is not required to  
abstain from votes related to CAN, but said he likely will abstain in the  
future.  
Bylaw Discussion - Richard Wieland  
The committee is awaiting the updates to the bylaws mentioned in a  
previous meeting by Sarah Alanis. Of interest are the issues of member  
replacement and term limits. Pauline will inquire about the status of the  
update and the process for replacing Member Penland, who will be  
attending law school and not renewing his tenure.  
Leslie Science Center - Phase 2 - Richard Wieland  
Nicholas Jacob advises against blue spruce due to their susceptibility to  
needlecast. White pines become less bushy at the bottom as they  
mature, so if the goal is screening, he recommends Norway spruces or  
redcedar.  
Member Davenport left the meeting at 9:55am. Member Rosewig left the  
meeting at 9:57am. Quorum was lost.  
Chairman Wieland motioned to approve the allocation of $4,000 for  
the planting of trees at Leslie Science and Nature Center. Member  
Davenport seconded. The motion passed unanimously (5-0).  
May Budget Review - Richard Wieland  
Chairperson Wieland reports that everything is on track.  
Elizabeth Dean Fund Committee Longer Term Plan and Priorities - May 12th,  
2026 - Version A  
26-0812  
Bicentennial Park Update - Jamie Pauline  
Margolis has installed all the trees. The mulch is too high against the  
trunks, so Pauline will send the contractor back to rectify the issue.  
Parks Project List - Jamie Pauline  
Hillary Hanzel emailed Pauline with a list of potential EDFC investment  
opportunities at the following parks:  
- Mushroom Park (staff request)  
- Fuller Park (staff request)  
- Gallup Park Children's Fishing Pond (staff request)  
- Island Park (staff request)  
- Landsdowne Park (resident request)  
- Buhr Park (resident request)  
As of now, contact has been lost with the two residents who submitted  
requests. Parks is trying to reestablish contact.  
Golf Course Update - Jamie Pauline  
Planting has not yet begun at the orchard. A start time needs to be  
coordinated between the golf course and the contractor. Once a work start  
date is established, Pauline will go to the orchard to mark all sites.  
Elm Treatment Update - Jamie Pauline  
Davey Tree anticipates treatment completion by the end of May, after the  
seeds have dropped.  
Hikone Project Update - Jamie Pauline  
- Many of the trees are believed to be Kwanzan cherries.  
- Torey Madura, the initiator of the proposal, is no longer with CAN  
Washtenaw.  
- Pauline is to reach out to the church along the east side of Hikone Road  
and loop in Chairperson Wieland.  
PUBLIC COMMENT (3 minutes per speaker)  
All persons are encouraged to participate in public meetings. Citizens requiring  
translation or sign language services or other reasonable accommodations may  
contact the City Clerk's office at 734.794.6140; via e-mail to: cityclerk@a2gov.org; or  
by written request addressed and mailed or delivered to:  
City Clerk's Office  
301 E. Huron St.  
Ann Arbor, MI 48104  
Requests made with less than two business days' notice may not be able to be  
accommodated.  
No comment was submitted in advance or made at the meeting.  
NEXT AGENDA ITEMS  
- Application form  
- Orchard updates  
- Parks list - updates  
- Minutes from April meeting  
- Vets Park  
- Bylaws update from clerk's office  
- Maya Fineberg's proposal  
- School projects  
ADJOURNMENT  
Because quorum was lost, there was no vote for adjournment. The  
meeting concluded at 10:26am.