Council Appointee Sub-Committee — Portland, ME
Date: 2019-06-04
Time: 18:30

City of Portland
 Pesticide Management Advisory Committee

 June 4, 2019
 6:30 PM
 Room 24

1. Welcome and Check In
2. Review and approve minutes from May 7
 a. Draft minutes
3. Staff Reports
 a. Brown Tail Moth treatment
 b. Contacts with members of the public or businesses
4. Other Discussion
 a. Importance and techniques for improving soil health.
5. Next Meeting: DATE
 a. Discuss next meeting date and topic ­­ managing invasive species.
6. Adjournment

City of Portland
 Pesticide Management Advisory Committee

 June 4, 2019
 6:30 PM
 Room 24

1. Welcome and Check In
2. Review and approve minutes from May 7
 a. Draft minutes
3. Staff Reports
 a. Brown Tail Moth treatment
 b. Contacts with members of the public or businesses
4. Other Discussion
 a. Importance and techniques for improving soil health.
5. Next Meeting: DATE
 a. Discuss next meeting date and topic ­­ managing invasive species.
6. Adjournment
 CITY OF PORTLAND, MAINE
 Pesticide Management Advisory Committee



 Draft Minutes May 7, 2019

Members Present:​ Avery Kamilla, Karen Snyder, ​Carol Laboissonniere​, Jesse O’Brien, Tim
Lindsey, Priscilla Skerry
Staff Present​:​ Troy Moon

Meeting was called to order at 6:24 PM by Jesse O’Brien.

Welcome and introductions ​- everyone did a brief check in

Jesse - IPM meeting
Avery - from Scarborough PMAC, where to target education
Karen - talked to a retailer concerned about losing customers
Priscilla - working with South Portland - working on fertilizer
Troy - busy with lots of projects
Tim - concerned about cedar extracts, feels it is carcinogenic, will bring more information to the
next meeting
Carol - exhibited at Portland Home Show, lots of good contact with people. Has also been
talking to Tru Green as part of her business.

Review and approve minutes from April 2, 2019
 ● all in favor 7-0.

Report on South Portland PMAC meeting about grubs

Jesse -- had waiver requests from SMCC and Wainwright. City Manager returned to PMAC for
review who denied again. March meeting with applicants and industry professionals.
Discussion that they may want to consider a “rescue treatment” for when economic damage on
high value turf. Julie Rosenbach has changed the waiver request form - Acelpryn now
acceptable for grubs in certain circumstances. Wainwright and SMCC testing grubs. They found
Junebug and European chafer grubs.

Having discussion about changing the ordinance. Will be preparing a report to the South
Portland City Council.

Both SMCC and Wainwright - had used many organic products first but did not have good
results.

Great confusion on how to fill out a waiver form
Future topics:
Trees
Update on Parks and Rec on fields, what they’re doing

Report on contacts with members of the public regarding the ordinance
 ● Troy
 ○ Pesticide preemption bill killed
 ○ More calls about the ordinance but still not too many
 ○ Call from landscaping company in Columbia MO that would like a similar
 ordinance
 ○ A few questions about treatment for ticks
 ○ Some calls about carpenter ants in the home
 ○ Attended meeting of the Invasive Species Network
 ○ Talking to NOFA about a fall workshop, probably turf
 ○ Will participate with South Portland on fertilizer
 ○ Talking to CCSWCD about a fall workshop

Waiver Applications
  ● None

Brochure:

Looks good. Will get it printed.
Karen - in links -- make sure Beyond Pesticide link is in red
Utility right of way spraying - as defined about state law

Next meeting: May 7, 6:30pm
 ● Determine tabling events and who will work at each event
 ● Discuss enforcement

Grassy weeds

Goose grass, barnyard grass, crab grass (worst)
Grow differently than lawn grasses. Lawn grasses better in cool weather.
Warm season grasses -- crabgrass, grows when lawn grasses are stressed. Very hearty. Seed
in late summer or early fall. Seed in July then crabgrass will outcompete desirable grass.
Crabgrass throws out lots of seeds.

Best tools are cultural practices -- let grass grow tall will prevent crabgrass seeds from
germinating because it shades them. Irrigation can help cool the grasses and help it in hot
weather. Corn gluten is the only organic product that works against crab grass before it
germinates.
Outreach:​ Alert members of opportunities to do outreach.



Motion was made by adjourned the meeting at 8:05 pm.

CITY OF PORTLAND, MAINE
 Pesticide Management Advisory Committee



 Minutes June 4, 2019

Members Present:​ Avery Kamilla, Karen Snyder, Priscilla Skerry, ​Carol Laboissonniere​, Tim
Lindsey
Staff Present​:​ Troy Moon

Meeting was called to order at 6:44 PM by Troy Moon.

Welcome and introductions ​- information sharing among the group
  ● Troy - update on legislation in Augusta, solar, bags, foam
  ● Avery - City budget included position for maintenance to implement organic fields, has
 gotten calls from residents in other communities who would like an ordinance.
  ● Karen - three new bee packages in hives, so far so good.
  ● Priscilla - working on the Global VoC issue.

Review and approve minutes from May 7, 2019
 ● Avery moved to accept, Karen seconded, all in favor 7-0.

Brown Tail Moth Treatment
Ask Jeff if there are BTM issues elsewhere
All agree that Parks Department approached the problem very well. Would like to hear the
analysis of how successful it was.

Report on contacts with members of the public regarding the ordinance
 ● Can we do training for retail staff?
 ● Troy to follow up with CCSWCD to see if they have sent material to Maine Hardware
 ● Troy had calls from applicators about fire ants
 ● All agree the brochures look great

Defer discussion of soil health until a later date

Discussed that committee members could work with retailers what resources they could use.
Karen and Avery to begin working. Will check in with Maine Hardware.

Future meeting: will poll people

Adjourn 7:55
 ○