Brookfield Heritage Neighborhood Association
Board Meeting Minutes
Date: February 8th, 2026
Board Members: Steve Beckman (Secretary), Mike Benedict (Communications), Nella Davis-Ray (President), John Hays, Matthew Kazmierski (Vice President), Denise Moore, Judy Putnam, Alice Schehr (Treasurer), Rhoda Wolff
Call to order: Nella Davis-Ray called to order this meeting of the Brookfield Heritage Neighborhood Association Executive Committee at 4:05 p.m. on February 8th, 2026 in a meeting at 155 Oakland.
Roll Call:
- Roll Call: Steve Beckman, Mike Benedict, Nella Davis-Ray, John Hays, Matthew Kazmierski, Judy Putnam, Alice Schehr
- Absent: Denise Moore, Rhoda Wolff
- Others in attendance: None
- Quorum present: Yes
Approval of Past Minutes: A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes from the Board meeting held on November 9th, 2025 as presented. The motion carried without objection.
Treasurer Updates:
- The current MSUFCU account balance is $4,392.59
- Web hosting charges have increased from $95/year to $200/year
Old Business:
- Environment Committee updates
- New City of East Lansing Arborist Blake Harrity
- Silver maples designated for removal in 2026:
- Oakland: 164, 205, 277
- Maplewood: 167
- Roseland: 1511, 1523, 1615
- Replacement tree spacing requirements:
- At least 8 feet away from driveways
- Large trees:
- 30 feet away from other large trees
- If the available space is next to a tree that is estimated to only survive another five years, large trees can be planted less than 20 feet away from the space as long as the existing tree is replaced by a small or medium tree
- If over 30 feet between existing trees, large tree preferred, but small tree required if distance between trees is 20 feet or less
- Space for utility lines must be honored when identifying tree placement locations
- Replacement tree species recommendations:
- Small trees (10-25 foot gap): Dogwood, Magnolia, or Serviceberry
- Medium trees (25-50 foot gap): American Hornbeam, Black Gum, or Yellowwood
- Large trees (>50 foot gap): American Elm, Gingko, Hackberry, London Planetree, Tulip Tree, or Zelkova
- The preferred species will be American Elms, Gingkos, and Zelkovas. Other species will be considered based on availability and pricing.
- The city is planning on trimming street trees between now and the beginning of Spring
- Only large trees stumps need to be ground down to 30 inches deep
- Grinding could be avoided if a replacement tree was planted away from the road and onto the owner’s private property if in a “zig-zag” position away from the remaining stump
- Blake would be willing to review existing stumps in late February or early March to determine grinding requirements
New Business
- 2026 Annual Meeting and Picnic
- BHNA Centennial Celebration
- Annual meeting scheduled for Sunday, September 13th, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. on Maplewood Dr. Rain date will be Sunday, September 20th, 2026.
- Letter of Support for the City of East Lansing’s Auto Club Group Grant Application
- Nella shared a drafted letter of support that was approved and signed by board members. Nella delivered the letter to Stephen Clayton from the Department of Public Works.
- Updates to BHNA website
- Add recent newsletters and updated street tree information / board resolution
- Update entries for past tree reports to link to updated tree reports
- New property owners
- Nella shared a drafted welcome letter for new residents that was approved. Nella will deliver it to 235 Maplewood Dr., which was sold last December
Open Discussion:
- None
Action Items:
| Name | Action | Deadline |
Adjournment:
- A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 5:02 p.m. The motion carried without objection.
Next Meeting Date, Time, and Location: 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 26th, 2026. Time and location to be determined.
Minutes submitted by: Steve Beckman
Minutes approved by: TBD