Newton City Council awards $142,699 tree‑trimming contract, adopts matching budget amendment

Newton City Council voted unanimously Feb. 4 to award a $142,699.52 tree‑trimming contract to Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC and to adopt a budget ordinance amendment to fund the work.

Electric Department Supervisor Doug Wesson told the council staff solicited bids to trim trees across the city’s distribution system and received one responsive bid from Asplundh for $142,699.52, above the $127,000 originally appropriated for fiscal year 2019‑20. Wesson said staff recommended contracting with Asplundh and asked the council to appropriate roughly $15,700 from fund balance to cover the difference.

The council approved the contract award on a motion by Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver and unanimously adopted the associated budget ordinance amendment to reflect the $142,699.52 expense. Council members voting in favor are recorded as Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver and Council Members Jerry Hodge, Anne Wepner, Jody Dixon, Beverly Danner and Ed Sain; the minutes record the motions as unanimous for these items.

The contract award covers tree‑trimming services for the city’s electric distribution system for fiscal year 2019‑20. The contract and the adopted ordinance are referenced in the minutes as on file with the City Clerk; the minutes do not list further contract terms, a multi‑year commitment, or a contractor start date.

City staff listed the budget shortfall and the source of the additional appropriation as fund balance during the council discussion. The meeting record does not include an itemized funding breakdown or the full contract document; those details are filed with the City Clerk and were not read into the minutes.