City Common Council discusses loss of ash trees

PLATTSBURGH | The City of Plattsburgh Common Council authorized numerous resources needed for summer events, contracting for fireworks, tent and stage rentals and portable restrooms. The details were put in place at the second council meeting in February. They also authorized a contract with Kravitz Forestry Services for professional removal of ash trees in the city, a concern that spurred conversation about the numbers of dying ash trees afflicted with emerald ash borer. Where safe, the city Department of Public Works (DPW) has been removing dead trees. "Where does the wood go?" Councilor James Evans asked. "We're actually working on that," Mayor Wendell Hughes said. Community Development Director Andrew Durrin said the wood could be removed by the contractor, Kravitz Forestry, but there are options for the city to take it and either sell it or trade it. "Isn't there a certain limit that you can do with that kind of tree though, because of the emerald ash borer?" Councilor Jennifer Tallon asked. "The reality is, the way that bug has spread, everybody has it," Durrin said. "It's going to kill all the ash trees. "So, essentially, what the state has said is there really aren't any limitations. When we talked to DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) ... last month and posed that question, they were telling us there's no limitations on it, which surprised me." "There used to be," Tallon noted. "Yes, I think that was because they were trying to prevent the spread," Durrin said. "I think at this point, the spread has already gotten too far." "It's very sad," Councilor Amy Collin said. The council discussed tree loss in the City of Plattsburgh. Durrin said the city is piggybacking off a Clinton County contract with Kravitz. The afflicted trees on city property are in Environmental Justice Areas indicated in land use plans. Environmental Justice Areas are defined according to economic need. Durrin said he worked with the city's DPW staff to make a list of trees to be taken down. Mayor Hughes and Durrin said DPW has already cut down over 60 trees at Melissa Penfield Park. "They were all ash trees that were dying," Durrin said. "They were dead," Hughes said. "And before they fall on somebody or hurt somebody (they have to come down)." "They might not be done. There might be some more out there that we have to get," Durrin noted. "We have to get them cleaned up, stumped, and start a replacement process," the mayor said. "We will start the replacement project after we install the playground," Durrin said of plans in motion for new playground equipment at Melissa Penfield Park. "After we get the playground," Hughes agreed. "We do have to get some trees back, you have to have shade, especially when we lost that many. Take a look at Penfield, especially down Woodland Drive, it's brutal." The city crews were able to remove many of the trees, since they were relatively safe to fell. "We did not include the trees in Melissa Penfield Park (in the grant funding) because public works felt comfortable enough to cut those trees down," Durrin said. Hiring a professional tree service encompasses areas where tree removal requires precise equipment, given proximity to nearby property or roadways. Durrin said there is an additional $2,000 in grant funding available for tree replacement. And the city is going to do all of the stump grinding themselves. "We've got some huge trees on the Oval (U.S. Oval Park) that are dead," the mayor said. "Yeah, those cottonwoods," Durrin said. "We have to get those down before they hurt somebody," the mayor said. Councilor David Monette pointed out a number of dead cottonwoods on the Saranac River bank after the walking bridge near the Macdonough Monument. "I think we want to think about what we're going to put back," Evans said. "We put the Norway maples back after the Ice Storm, now they're coming on end-of-life, which we are going to run into now." There are a number of tree issues in the city, Durrin noted. "It could be a full time job for somebody." The council unanimously approved a $35,000 contract with Kravitz Forestry Services to remove the dead trees, funded through a grant from the Clinton County Soil and Water Conservation District. The grant amount of $40,000 will leave a remainder of $5,000 for additional, targeted tree removal.

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City Common Council discusses loss of ash trees

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