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Um, but it just presents additional staffing complexities with the limited number of staff members who have the world language endorsement out of the gate to be off to offer both. >> Can I I'm just mention one thing. >> Uh, I'm going to counter Tony and you know Tony I do agree with you in a lot of ways because you said the same thing in August of 25. It's on video about the administration where here we are in February and the needle had moved on a little bit but the world language review had been under review for about four years and um I don't know what progress it has made. So it's not like this is something that just came out of December or came out of last minute. I'm going to make you know I wanted a motion. So, this has been going on world language review for about four years and I've been advocating it for it for about three years.
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But if it were to hit the power lines, is that going to be significant or severe? That's where this second part of the matrix comes in and determines how that risk rating is. In my position as tree warden and any tree that has reached a high risk um level in the second matrix is one that is priority for us to take down. Um, if I were to look at the current list of trees we have in all of Ashlin, I have maybe in the time in the time since I have become tree warden here had one extreme tree. The rest have been maybe 10% of them have been high-risk trees and most have been moderate or low. Um, I try to get rid of every single high tree that comes to us every year. And most of, as Matthew has pointed to, 21 of the trees on the circuit are that high-risk tree.
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So, you know, it's I and I do agree with you 100%. The goal is now let's get this moving. >> Can I say something? I I personally want to say that like I think we should do an L2 system. I think everybody at all these schools should be able to take it. And I know we probably aren't going to have enough teachers to teach everybody that wants it, but I think we're all here because we think interest is going to be way over what we can handle that first year. Um, but also I think that one second. I also think that again this is hard. I feel like a lot of this is going to res whether or not we can attract some passionate, educated people. But again, if you go back to that sample growth over time slide, um it's I'm a teacher myself.
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And if he were not taking them down for Eversource, they would be on our priority list for us here in Ashlin to take down as it is. >> And if I were talking about those, >> you're talking about those 21 that are level three. >> Yes. >> Yeah. If I were to be 100% frank with the board, we don't have the budget available to take down all of those trees. Um, and so we rely a bit on Eversource to assist with that, which is why Matthew mentioned there were a couple trees I said, "Hey, while you're here, can you take these down to because those are those high-risk trees, even though they're not priority trees for Eversource, they're priority trees for us. those moderate trees >> and are they priority? Sorry, go ahead. >> I I just want to make sure the rest of the board can can jump in here as well.
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It's very hard to teach two different levels in a class. It it's not impossible. And as you can see, a lot of teachers, probably all of the French and German teachers teach two different levels of Spanish that last year. They teach Spanish three and Spanish 4 in the same room. And again, I think that's going to be a situation where we got to try to bring in as many people as we can. And again, hopefully those people are willing to to deal with a situation where you're like, "Hey, here's a situation. You're going to be teaching some people really new to the language." And you might have three kids that have some knowledge and we're going to need you to differentiate as best as possible. I just want to throw that out there. Like I I think there are a whole bunch of things that we have to worry about, but if we can do our part to attract the talent, that's half of the battle.
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So, is is >> I'm almost done. I'm sorry. This moderate tree can also, you know, we say moderate, it seems like that's a fine tree, but if you look at that matrix part, uh, matrix chart, you know, you could have a very likely tree that's very likely to fall and to hit something, but minor consequences. Um, and it can be a moderate tree. But if it were a um a just a likely tree but significant consequences and it's immediately a high-risisk tree, right? And so if you have a tree that maybe it's minor because it's just barely going to brush the power lines if it falls, presuming it falls in just the right way and it doesn't get picked up and dragged five feet by a strong windstorm. um that can still be a moderate tree even if it's an imminent failure. And so that that's things that we're looking at with all of these trees.
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If we don't have the right teacher, we're stuck. We if we don't have a talented, enthusiastic person ready to teach, we're in trouble. I I will say this though, I just got off the phone today with a teacher, Arabic teacher from Lindlum, and he said that they had a maternity leave and they had four applicants again. So I, you know, I think we have to post the job as early as possible and kind of move forward with some faith that this is going to come together. I also think that we should be totally willing to do a one or two-year program. You know, I don't think this should be a seal of biiteracy or or nothing. You know, I think we just got to start and then we will start to bring in more people and the program will get slowly built. UM why why don't you let them come back to us with their recommendation because right now that's what she's working on and you're trying again to kind of force the situation when not they're not ready for this situation.
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Um I think you know the planning board from what I understand from Jasmine, you all were looking to do a sitewalk and I think that will illustrate things a lot better. Obviously Matthew's not wasting everyone's time for two hours going over every single tree. Um, we did that sitewalk and it took us, I think, three hours to walk and look at every single tree. Um, and all of those trees did have some major issues. In fact, I found some issues Matthew had not caught on a couple trees. Okay. >> That were deeply concerning, but that was just what I had to add. >> Okay. Thanks. Let me pause things there. Uh, Scott. >> Yeah. So, let's say we do approve this and you took down the 46 trees and next year that those two streets are still on the list. Are you coming back to us and asking us to take down more trees or are you guys going to do something different in that area like infrastructure-wise for Eversource?
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I understand >> well this is a good segue to be honest. When do you think we could get the next >> We're not We don't speak to the >> I think he was addressing a need. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Yeah. I was I was kind of using that as a segue. This has probably got to go back to the education committee. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Probably more than once. >> Yeah. So again, you know, could we hear an update in April? Again, I I we we're not expecting everything to get solid by April, but could we get an update every two months just so we keep an eye on this? >> I know that that's not my decision to make, but I just don't support >> and I'll defer to Mr. Catherine who runs the education committee. We can certainly update as as often as you request it.
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And I have another question after this. So, what's next if it doesn't work? Um well the infrastructure um options that we have um like I was alluding to are not necessarily more tree friendly. Um if we raise the poles we're going into canopy. >> You can bury the lines. I mean there's there's lots of other >> and what's the next step are you going to come back and ask for more trees? That's what I'm kind of trying to figure out. >> If if we bury the lines we are completely eradicating the root systems of every single tree adjacent to the roads. If we if this were a line burial project, I would have a list of hundreds of trees because every single tree next to the road would be getting their roots eradicated and would be dying over the short term. >> Wait, wait, wait.
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Um I I just have like a nuts and bolts question because some of the um considerations to still work through. Um, how many of those things are like going to carry a recommendation from you guys versus like you're looking for guidance from the board and if and when you know are we going to have that discussion so that you know things that are board decisions or board direction like at what point does that happen so that like we can narrow our focus on moving forward? Yes, I think um working through education committee, I think we can try to right tackle some of these decisions um like if we're going to commit to a a one or two-year program, right? That is certainly um in my opinion a much easier introduction, right? And we can build the program over four years. So, uh I think right at the outset it was potentially looking at a four-year sequence, right?
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I want one person to talk at a time. >> What is the next step? If you if this doesn't work, are you going to come back and ask for more trees? I mean, if the ad if uh outages continue uh to um not improve and they're being tree caused um then yes, it would be something that we would reassess. Um now I did uh Russell did get back to me. Um of the 52 outages um on the circuit 52 of those add there have been 52 outages over a time frame. Uh 42 of those are tree related. uh and 22 of those over half in Ashland did a crown house tree. Um this is it's the most heavily treated part of the circuit. Uh so it is where the majority of um the tree outages are are happening. >> All right. So are there any other questions from any other member of the board?
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and upon doing our research, right? I think our recommendation is looking at, you know, some of those things. So, I think making sure that we're having those conversations at education committee to nail down the we believe the program model might is leaning towards a heritage or L2 or we're recommending a one or two-year program so that when I bring a course proposal um that all of those things are outlined and very clear um and all of the those considerations are thought through before a course proposal is presented to curriculum advisory uh and education committee and then the board for approval. Well, okay. >> Okay. >> Do you have >> I I I do just have one other question. I don't know really whether it's for Dr. for or for Anita. But like going back to our timeline slides, you know, when we get to the second one, we talk about steps, you know, 7, 8, 9, and 10, you know, I I just think if it's going to be successful, like the job posting, I know it's a very unusual thing, has to kind of come before step eight because I mean, what happens if we let a bunch of students sign up for courses, we do sectioning, determine here's our FT need to teach this class, and then we can't hire the people, right?
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And I also want to say if there's any other if there's any comments from the public now is the I don't know if we have anyone online >> but it's an opportunity to raise your hand. Scott, you have another question. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Would Eversource be willing to plant 46 trees in another area of the town? Um, >> Absolutely. >> All right. So, I think there's a a bit of bringing something to the town that we could help offset some of this. I understand this is a scenic road and you probably don't want to plant them on that physical road because you might just be creating it again. But is there a place in town that we can say, "Hey, may there's an arboritum right in town." Like maybe Eversource can donate 50 trees to kind of help offset this and and make something nicer in the town.
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Isn't that going to be just as administratively a headache to unwind as you know like >> just one >> I mean if just posting a job prospectively I mean not that we have to hire somebody before the fall of 27 but to advertise say hey we're interested in hiring somebody in August of 27 you know I mean because how do we unwind that if we start letting kids sign up for a class and then we can't staff it? No, I appreciate you pointing that out because you were actually highlighting the unusual nature of of this process in its entirety and to answer the question that was asked before, you know, why we weren't ahead of because there's a lot of things that are unorthodox. >> And I would suggest the board would have to be very coalesed around whether we do that or not do that or else I feel like it's inappropriate for me to respond by saying we're going to do things that we wouldn't normally do for a math class or social studies class.
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Is that that's a possibility? >> Uh there is definitely a possibility. I don't want to replant on how um because um it's in the middle of the woods. uh even trees that in nature have evolved to be very tolerant of shade and thrive in shade. Um the the the going through the nursery is a frankly traumatic process for trees. Their root systems get eradicated. Um if you don't water them regularly, uh if they're not getting enough light, uh they'll die. If um so I guess what I'm trying to say is um if there's a strong canopy over the wire over the road layout like in like on house street that's not a place that I would like to be planting trees. If I am going to put trees in the ground I want them to be there 100 years later. >> Um >> the plant go ahead.
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And that's exactly why it has to be at this level because as a school board you have that discretion to tell us to go outside of the the the norm on how we would do so. Um as we illustrated before when we offered the international culinary course we had teachers in every building that could teach it. So we could offer it without any sort of u reservation whether we had 100 kids whether we had 20 kids sign up for the course. We're going to be able to offer that. This is unique for a variety of reasons. I will not put anything in front of our student body that isn't um at a level of confidence that I would have one is it's sustainable. Two is it's taught by a qualified candidate. Um because a kid studying French I know we have French teachers in each campus that's qualified licensed and has the certifications that we need to be able to ensure that they have a four-year experience.
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>> Um Becca in your knowledge of the trees in Ashland are there places that in in your experience that you would say public spaces we'll we'll leave private out of it for now. public spaces where you would say gosh we could you we we could use some trees in the in this area. >> Yes, that is something that I have been working to evaluate and we are working on getting an urban forestry management plan uh for the town um which should be going out to bid soon hopefully and that would also identify further planting locations for new trees. Um, if I'm looking at just in right ofways, I have not looked at every single street yet. I've started with downtown and worked my way out. Um, but if you look at the area near Pineh Hill Road, a little bit further up as you're going towards the town forest.
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There's challenges to this. Doesn't mean that it's impossible. Doesn't mean that it's unlikely. It just means that we have to think thoughtfully. And that's all we have been doing for the entirety of this process is to be thoughtful. Because what I would be most what I would consider the most unfortunate thing is if I have a group of kids that are in a language course that by the time they get to their senior year, we can't offer it anymore because the teacher's not credential, the teacher gets a job somewhere else and we can't replace them. That's a tragedy for a kid who now has an application to a university that said you may not be qualified. So, this has nothing to do other than making sure we do it with due diligence. Um, and I think we have moved the needle quite a bit since August.
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Some of those older developments, their trees have died over time, there's not a lot of trees in the rightway there. Um, they're in the heat island areas. We could focus on that. And then um I think it was Scott who pointed out there is the arboritum um there is still additional planting projects planned there um in other town properties. I'm sure I know the town forest is doing understory growth as well with deer exlosures to try and reforest there too. So there's plenty of opportunity that we can find. >> Okay, great. Thank you Anna. >> Thank you. You know, I I keep coming back to the statute. This is not just a a road in Ashland. This is a scenic route that has statutory protection. And the term that's used there for emergency removal is in danger. Does this tree currently? It doesn't say currently, but the way it reads is there has to be in danger.
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