At the 12/17 Council meeting, Councilman Jerry Vitalo made a motion to move some funding to the Shade Tree Commission to try and address some of the emergent and dangerous trees that have been allowed to remain in Hammonton. This is long overdue and many townspeople have been more than patient in trying to get these situations rectified. Kudos to Jerry for addressing this issue before the end of the year and representing the taxpayers of Hammonton well. We do wonder, however, why when the vote was taken that Councilman Wuillermin voted no on this proposal. He is fully aware of the situation with some of these trees and knows that this situation must be rectified. As a matter of fact, he had a tree that was very dangerous taken down on his property earlier this year and most of the trees that Jerry's motion is going to take care of have been on a waiting list for a long time. We sincerely hope that his vote was not politically motivated.
Councilman Marino and Bertino pointed out that it if $6,500 of the taxpayers money could be found, they could cut down three trees. That is a little over $2,000 per tree.
For large trees, that is the going rate. These trees are too big for the highway dept. to handle, that is why they need the money to hire an outside vendor who is liscensed for this type of work.
Here is a question. This is not to criticize, but merely to ask the people on this blog what they think.... Over $2,000 for a tree seems like a lot of money. I have to take care of my own trees. Why should I pay $2,000 for other people to get trees cut down for free? Wouldn't it be better to let the tree's owner decide what he wants to do and pay?
These trees are the Town's responsibility because they are in the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb. That is in the Town's right of way and is the Town's responsibility. And $2,000 is the going rate for large trees like the ones being looked at now. Very large trees cost even more.
Could the state and county take care of their roads? Bellevue is state road. Central is a county road. What is the big deal which side of the sidewalk the tree is on anyway? Wouldn't that save the taxpayers money?
Because the area between the sidewalk and the curb is the roadway right of way and is therefore controlled by the Town. The question about the State and County roads has already been asked by Council and they have been told that the trees are the Town's responsibility. Now the Town should decide whether or not they want to challenge that answer.
I'm not sure if there are towns around us that don't have a Shade Tree Commission, nut I would assume it would just be handled by the public works dept. or contracted out to a vendor.
Considering it costs the taxpayers over $2,000 a tree to cut them down, it probably pays to look into whay is actually required. Maybe there is a way to save quite a bit of money rather than just keep chopping down trees and fundamentally burning $2,000 each time.
Considering it costs the taxpayers over $2,000 a tree to cut them down, it probably pays to look into whay is actually required. Maybe there is a way to save quite a bit of money rather than just keep chopping down trees and fundamentally burning $2,000 each time.
The reason these trees are being cut down is because they are dead and have become a danger to the public from falling limbs and the possibility of the whole tree falling over. Maybe we could learn what the main causes of tree death are here in Hammonton and try some preventive maintenance, but that also would require money being put into the shade tree budget. The Mayor & Council are pursuing a method to head off the gypsy moth infestation that is spreading over Hammonton. If we don't get this stopped now it will only get worse each year. We need to follow through and make sure this happens this year.
If a 20 foot tree is just to the "house side" of the sidewalk, then the town does not cut it down. What is so magical about if it six inches to the other side of the sidewalk? If it weren't for the Shade Tree group, would the town still be forced to cut it down? $2,000 per tree is a lot of money.
just off topic for a second on the backgound checks. how come all the volunteers spoke about this . do we not pay a full time rec director. and what does he do. is this not his job.
In Lou's defense, he has been involved with this at the Park's and Rec meetings and I believe this meeting was advertised as an opportunity for the public to give their opinions concerning the background checks.
These trees are the Town's responsibility because they are in the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb. That is in the Town's right of way and is the Town's responsibility. And $2,000 is the going rate for large trees like the ones being looked at now. Very large trees cost even more.
THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY I DO NOT GET FREE LANDSCAPING WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR OTHERS TO HAVE THIS IN MY TAXES
Remember, part of the Shade Tree Commissions responsibility is to plant trees for the Town also. It is done here and in most Towns to insure the Town keeps the rural feel of tree lined streets and doesn't become an asphalt and concrete jungle. With that resposnibility comes the care and maintenance of the trees too. Are you saying that the Town Government shouldn't be involved in the way our Town looks for us and to the people who visit our Town? Do you want the government to turn over this responsibity to the homeowners and also add that expense to them?
These trees are the Town's responsibility because they are in the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb. That is in the Town's right of way and is the Town's responsibility. And $2,000 is the going rate for large trees like the ones being looked at now. Very large trees cost even more.
THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY I DO NOT GET FREE LANDSCAPING WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR OTHERS TO HAVE THIS IN MY TAXES
Doesn't the environmental commission already regulate trees? $2,000 is a lot of taxpayer dollars to cut down one tree.
They are not all $2,000. That is only the very large trees near wires that are very hard to take down. Get off the issue of the price, that's not what this is about. We cangratulate Jerry Vitalo for standing up for the taxpayer and getting this service provided for the public safety. The Environmental Commission regulates all of the rest of the trees in Hammonton that do not fall under the Shade Tree Commission.
