Committee hears tree-canopy plan, requests $4 million recurring boost for Forestry amid contract and hiring debate

Detroit's Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee on Thursday received a detailed briefing on the city's tree inventory and maintenance plan and voted to ask the administration for a $4 million recurring increase to the Forestry Division's budget. The presentation described a mix of in-house work and vendor contracts to address a backlog and expand canopy coverage, while council members pressed officials on contract authority, vendor selection and whether more work could be done locally.

The presentation, delivered by Crystal Perkins, director of the General Services Department's Forestry Division, said the city manages roughly 350,000 public trees and currently budgets a little over $5 million from the street fund for forestry operations: about $2.5 million for vendor contracts, approximately $1.2 million for tree plantings and the remainder for personnel. Perkins said the division has 33 budgeted positions with 13 vacancies and an in-house crew that averages about 45 tree jobs per week; the city's canopy is roughly 22% now and the stated goal is to reach 40% through a combination of increased…