Residents say school trees threaten homes; superintendent promises follow-up

Residents living behind Cedar Brook Middle School told the Cheltenham School District board on June 10 that trees on district property have weakened since land clearing in 2019 and are now falling onto houses, causing repeated damage and power outages.

The residents pressed the board during the public comment period, saying some trees have struck houses, caused a power surge that damaged home electrical systems and left yards littered with stumps and debris. "I can't get across to you how serious this is," said Michelle Still, a Wincoat-area resident. "We sleep on the first floor when winds exceed 20 miles per hour." Norman Still, a certified arborist who lives adjacent to the site, told the board the trees show large cavities and other hazards that predate recent storms.

Why it matters: Board members and staff acknowledged the safety and property implications and pledged follow-up. Superintendent (name not specified) told the residents he would meet with the contractor and facilities staff and circle back by the end of the week.

Residents described repeated incidents dating to the district's land-clearing work in 2019 and cited a December 4, 2024 tree failure that punched through a house and caused an extended power outage. "We have had thousands of dollars in damages," Michelle Still said, and neighbors said insurance uncertainty remains a concern for some homeowners.

Norman Still said he and others raised the hazard to contractors during the 2019 site work and were told the remaining trees ‘‘grow that way because of the sun.’’ He said subsequent failures after that work left limbs and whole trees scattered into residents' yards.

Board response and next steps: The superintendent said he would meet with Anthony Carter of Mid Atlantic Property Maintenance Tree Service and with the district's business director and facilities staff to review the contractor documentation and hazard assessments. "I will have a meeting with Mr. Carter. I will have a meeting with Ms. Wagner. We will circle back to you, let's say, by the end of this week," the superintendent told the speakers.

No formal facilities action or vote on tree removal was recorded at the meeting. Board members asked staff to follow up with residents and the contractor and to report back to the board as appropriate.

Residents who spoke at the meeting urged the district to remove or prune hazardous trees and to clean debris left on school property that has encroached on private yards. The superintendent said staff would pursue the documentation and next steps and would provide an update to the residents and to the board.

The board did not set a public timetable at the meeting beyond the superintendent's promise to follow up within the week, and no specific remediation plan or funding action was adopted during the session.