The new Cullman City Tree Commission logo is unveiled Tuesday, Aug.13, with commission chairman Barry Slatton in the background.

The City of Cullman Tree Commission handled a few unresolved matters Tuesday, Sept. 17, which were carried over from August when member absences left the members without a quorum.

Commission chairman Barry Slatton unveiled a new logo to members present last month. The logo, created by local artist Sarah Miller, features four evergreen trees in varying shades of green against an orange, circular backdrop. Miller said her goal with the backdrop was to depict a sunset to contrast the trees in the images foreground.

Slatton announced Tuesday, that the Cullman City Council, had been able to secure grant funding which, once approved, will allow the commission to have the new logo added to its official stationary.

City arborist Shane Bivens was able to provide his completed list of recommended tree species for the area in hopes to “control growth,” while still presenting the community with options. Bivens’ list included six recommendations each in small, medium and large categories.

Small (bushes and ground cover):

— Nandinas.

— Dwarf azaleas.

— PJM hybrid Rhododendrons.

— Forsythia.

— Blue Paint Juniper.

— Oak leaf hydrangeas.

Medium:

— Japanese maple.

— Crape myrtle.

— Dogwood.

— Summer red maple.

— Margaritaria hybrid.

— Sonata cherry.

Large:

— Red cypress.

— Northern red oak.

— Sugar maple.

— Flowering crabapple.

— Holly hybrids.

— Arborvitae.

The commission opted to continue developing the list with a focus on local varieties before making presenting a finalized version to the city.

“This is a work in progress but we’ve made some headway on this,” Slatton said.

Slatton also provided more details about the follow up to last year’s inaugural Festival of Trees celebration.

This year, nine local schools and the Cullman County Public Library will be decorating trees which will be on full display, and free to view, from Dec. 5, 2024-Jan. 3, 2025 at the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center. Slatton said Coca-Cola has agreed to provide advertising banners for the event and that he has located several prospective locations to place them through conversations with the city’s building department.

The commission approved a draft letter, presented by Slatton, to send out to property owners in these locations for permission to place the signs.