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Faribault approves citywide tree-removal contracts; work to be specially assessed to participating owners
Summary
Council adopted Resolution 2025-165 to solicit four separate contracts to remove diseased and dead trees from approximately 90+ participating properties (about 180+ trees), with estimated costs of about $2,000 per tree and work completed by October; removed-tree costs will be specially assessed to participating property owners.
City staff presented a proposal for a citywide tree-removal program and asked the council to approve Resolution 2025-165 to establish plans and a bid date. Staff said the program solicited interest from roughly 90 properties that reported more than 180 trees needing removal and that the work would be divided into four separate contracts to encourage competitive bids and enable smaller local tree-removal contractors to participate. “We received close to 90 plus properties that responded that were interested in participating in the program. Uh of those 90 plus properties, there’s over 180 trees amongst them,” the staff member said.
Staff said the city planned to split the overall contract into four bids, each covering roughly 50 trees, so contractors can bid on a single contract or multiple contracts; the city will award each contract to the lowest responsible bidder. The staff member estimated about $2,000 per tree and said if all trees are removed the total program cost would be about $400,000. Completion was targeted for October; the removed-tree costs would be specially assessed back to property owners who participate, with staff drafting special-assessment agreements once bids are finalized.
Councilmember discussion focused on bid strategy and ensuring competitiveness among smaller contractors; staff noted the approach was intended to make bidding feasible for local firms and to avoid expecting a single contractor to perform the entire workload.
Mayor Spooner moved to approve Resolution 2025-165 to establish plans and a bid date for the citywide tree-removal project; the motion was seconded by Ross and approved by the council.
