04-07-26 City Council Meeting Packet

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STAFF REPORT DATE:04/7/2026 CONSENT TO: Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Assistant Public Works Director – Adam Swanepoel AGENDA ITEM: Arbor Day CORE STRATEGIES: ☒ Vibrant, inclusive, connected community ☐ Efficient, reliable, innovative services ☐ Responsive, transparent, adaptive governance ☐ Balanced Finances now and future ☐ Managed Growth ☐ Resilient Infrastructure BACKGROUND: Tree City USA is a national recognition program that began in 1976. The program was launched to encourage cities and towns to establish local tree care programs, promote urban forestry, and recognize the environmental and social benefits of trees. One of the four standards to earn the Tree Designation is to celebrate Arbor Day. For the past 20 years the City has taken part in the Tree City USA program. Each year the city has a tree give away event which delivered nearly 450 trees to the community and its residence. Today, Tree City USA remains one of the most recognized urban forestry programs in the country, symbolizing a long-term commitment to healthier, greener communities. Each year on the last Friday of the month of April, the people of Minnesota pay special tribute to the vital natural resource that our trees represent and dedicate themselves to the continued vitality of our state’s community and rural forest. ISSUE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL : Would City Council like to proclaim April 25th to be Arbor Day? PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: On Saturday April 25th city staff will host a tree give away at the Public Works site. Free to any residence of Lake Elmo, will be bare root trees. Residents are encouraged to stop by the Lake Elmo Public Works building to get a tree and learn about Arbor Day in Minnesota. FISCAL IMPACT: The cost of the yearly tree giveaway has been $600 RECOMMENDATION: Motion to proclaim April 25th to be Arbor Day and the month of May to be Arbor Month in the City of Lake Elmo.