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Council awards up-to-$6.5M line‑clearance contract amid calls for a longer-term tree plan
Summary
The council approved a two‑year, up-to-$6.5 million contract with Right Tree Service Inc. for electric line‑clearance work. Several aldermen urged a broader strategy to reduce recurring trimming costs and to address damage to trees.
The Springfield City Council on Jan. 7 approved ordinance 2024-517, awarding a two‑year line‑clearance contract (UE25-10-34) for the Office of Public Utilities to Right Tree Service Incorporated for an amount not to exceed $6,500,000.
The motion to place the item on final passage passed; final voting produced eight yes votes and one no. Alderman Gregory announced he would vote no, saying the city needs a long-term strategy rather than repeatedly spending large sums on trimming.
Alderman Conley raised constituent complaints about the quality of tree trimming and asked that staff and the contractor be made aware of expectations. "I've had ... a lot of complaints, specifically with ... tree trimming," Conley said, and asked to meet with staff to ensure the new contractor better understands city expectations.
Doug Brown, a staff member who spoke during debate, warned that removing trees entirely would be substantially more expensive. "If we were to take trees all the way down, you're probably looking at at least 5 times as much. So instead of spending 3,000,000, you'd be spending 15," Brown said, describing a rough order-of-magnitude estimate and noting such removal would likely require higher utility rates.
Other aldermen described differences across neighborhoods (older areas with overhead lines versus parts with underground utilities) and asked staff to coordinate with public-works tree programs to replant and manage cycles so trees are not repeatedly cut back.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance 2024-517 — Approved; tally 8 yes, 1 no (Alderman Gregory). Contract: Right Tree Service Inc., contract UE25-10-34, not-to-exceed $6,500,000 for two years, Office of Public Utilities.
