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Residents urge native-tree policy and clearer referendum cost disclosures at Cheshire council public comment
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Summary
At the April 14 meeting, residents urged the council to adopt a native-planting policy and better tree care practices and asked that referendum mailings include an estimated cost to the average taxpayer; councilors directed commenters to relevant commissions and staff.
Several residents used public comment at the Town of Cheshire's April 14 meeting to raise environmental and civic-transparency concerns.
Joanna Giddings urged the council to adopt a native-planting policy for town-owned properties and to replace problematic nonnative trees before they reach maturity. "My ask of town council is that you consider adopting a native plant policy that directs that all tree plantings on town property be native trees going forward and that we remove problematic non native trees before they reach full maturity," Giddings said, and she noted the environment commission had issued a preferred planting list in 2024.
Joanna Debert, speaking on tree care, recommended best practices to avoid "volcano mulching" and suggested a doughnut mulching method to protect young trunks and root flares.
Lisa Juno urged the town to form a plan to remove invasive Callery (Bradford) pear street trees and replace them with native species, citing safety and ecological concerns and pointing to local nonprofit partnership opportunities such as the Cheshire Pollinator Pathway.
On civic transparency, resident Jeff Natale asked the council to direct the town clerk and town attorney to draft nonadvocatory language for referendum mailings and the ballot that includes the estimated cost to the average taxpayer. Natale cited a conversation with the Secretary of State's office and a state statute governing referenda procedures. "My ask is simple: going forward, I'm asking the town council to direct the clerk to draft language for every referendum question to be included on both the mailing and ballot indicating the estimated cost to the average taxpayer," he said.
Councilors responded to the speakers: Mayor Peter J. Talbot recommended working through the Environment Commission on tree policy proposals and said staff would follow up on the referendum statute and the clerk would be asked to review the suggestion.
