Philomath Heritage Tree Board forwards three Douglas firs to council, declines single-veteran memorial tree

The Philomath Heritage Tree Board on March 27 agreed to forward a nomination for three large Douglas firs on North 9th Street to the City Council and declined to advance a separate nomination for a tree at Peace Lutheran Church that was submitted as a memorial to a fallen soldier.

Rich Salazar, a Philomath city councilor and the Public Works Committee chair, opened the board meeting and presided over roll call and routine business. The board approved the consent agenda and minutes before taking up two nominations for heritage-tree designation.

Gary Black, operations supervisor for Philomath Public Works, explained that the board received two nominations this year: one for a tree at Peace Lutheran Church on Applegate Street and one for a group of three Douglas firs on North 9th Street. Black described the Applegate location and noted that one nomination had been submitted previously and brought back for reconsideration. A…