Tree board to draft ordinance language seeking dedicated city budget line for tree maintenance

At the July 1 meeting the Michigan City Tree Board moved to investigate existing tree-related ordinances and draft language to support creation of a dedicated city budget line for planting, watering and ongoing tree maintenance.

Betsy Alcessor moved that she and Jen work with input from the city forester and city attorney to identify where language could be embedded in existing tree ordinances to provide a durable funding mechanism for ongoing tree care; Dennis Britain seconded and the motion passed by voice vote.

The case for a line item: Phil, the city forester, told the board the large grant that funded many recent removals and plantings "didn't crack the surface" of need for removals and that the 2024 tree inventory identified hundreds of high-risk trees. He said the city lacks regular maintenance funds and described a cyclical pruning program and zone-based maintenance as best practice to reduce emergency removals and liability claims. Phil also said that routine planting and care costs approximately $1,000 per tree (including roughly two years of watering).

Ordinance and budget next steps: Board members discussed strategy: rather than introducing entirely new legislation, they prefer embedding maintenance and funding language into the existing tree ordinance and then asking the city attorney (Amber Lapich) to draft legally precise text. Council liaison Nancy Moldenhower said she is willing to sponsor the measure on the city council if the board produces recommended language.

The motion instructs Betsy and Jen to return with concept language and a rationale for a proposed budget line; the board did not set a final dollar amount or submit a formal appropriation at this meeting. The next regular Tree Board meeting is Aug. 5, 2026, where members expect to review drafts and next steps.