Germantown board awards annual tree planting contract amid requests for resident outreach

The Village Board on Wednesday awarded the annual tree planting contract to Dan Larson Landscaping for an amount not to exceed $29,250, a contract intended to plant roughly 90 trees this season to restore vacant street sites identified in the village’s five‑year tree plan.

Public Works and the village forester prepared a map of approximately 300 vacant tree sites; staff said the 2025 planting would address roughly 90 of those. Several trustees and public commenters urged that the newly created tree advisory board weigh in on the planting plan and that residents adjacent to proposed planting sites be notified before crews work in the right of way.

"I would like to see those residents approve where these trees are going to be planted," Trustee Pieper said during discussion. Public Works committee members said the sites had been identified to restore trees previously removed or lost and that planting this spring preserves the availability of nursery stock.

Board members opposed on procedural grounds a motion to send the item to the not‑yet‑fully‑populated tree committee; that motion failed. The board then approved the contract by roll call. Staff said they would proceed with communication plans to inform adjacent property owners and would implement the tree plan's established outreach going forward.

Parks and Public Works members noted timing constraints for spring planting: staff said delaying to convene a citizen‑member selection process likely would push work into a narrower planting window and would increase reprocurement costs due to bid and bid‑tab rework.

The board also discussed oversight and scope for the advisory committee under the recently adopted tree ordinance. Staff noted that the ordinance makes the board advisory and provides that the Village Board hears appeals under the tree code; contracting authority remains with the board.