Committee clears $97,470 contract for phased city tree inventory; additional work contingent on grant funding

The City of Charleston Finance Committee on April 7 authorized a contract with Davie Resource Group Incorporated to conduct the first two phases of a city right-of-way tree inventory, approving an initial fee of $97,470 and authorizing the city to proceed up to an additional $150,000 for later phases if grant funds are received.

The inventory will document street- and right-of-way trees citywide in phases, beginning with most of Kanawha City, and will create a searchable GIS database containing species, photos, condition assessments and location data. Staff and members of the Municipal Beautification Commission said the database will support risk management, maintenance planning and future planting programs; staff also said the city will own the data and can export it at the end of a three-year software subscription.

Why it matters City officials said information from the inventory will help identify diseased or hazardous trees that require prompt removal, prioritize maintenance, and guide where new trees should be planted. Several council members urged attention to trees on state-owned roads and corridor routes and asked how the city will use grant funds and existing local funding for tree planting and urgent removals.

What staff and commissioners said Mister Michaud described the procurement: the city received multiple proposals, shortlisted three and selected Davie Resource Group (the…