Town discusses formal street-tree management, budget and tagging rules

Mark Burdick introduced Bruce BenneP, the arborist and tree warden who works with Cornwall and Kent, to brief the Inland Wetlands/Conservation Commission on street-tree management and liability issues. BenneP described inspecting roads with the highway foreman and using a phone application to locate and record trees that present potential hazard or liability to the town. "Using an application on his phone, he locates and records specific trees that present potential hazard/liability issues to the town," the minutes state. The Commission said it has begun recording potentially hazardous trees and will continue the assessment.

Highway foreman Tim Downs told the Commission that $9,000 is currently allocated in his annual budget for tree removal; the highway crew handles some removal and cleanup while most of the money pays for a contracted bucket truck. BenneP recommended checking with the State Urban Forestry Council for possible grant funding to defray removal costs and referred members to the tree warden manual. He also noted that, under State statute, trees slated for removal must be tagged 10 days prior to removal with notice informing the public of the planned work. The minutes record that the town coordinates with the power company on many removals but sometimes must press the utility to complete scheduled work.

The Commission did not take a formal vote on a staffing or funding change at the meeting but said it will continue the inventory and look into grant opportunities. The discussion established a clearer record of current practice (inventorying hazardous trees and a $9,000 annual removal budget) and reminded members of statutory notice requirements for removals.