The Virus Flourishes

Yesterday I confessed to writing a harshly criticall letter about John  McIntyre.

I said I may regret it. Or I may not.

I already do. I indulged the dark side. Everybody has one. It's just not good to let it loose.

There's no telling when the harm may end.

So...I'm stopping it now.

Yesterday a commenter went to a lot of trouble checkking tree prices and suggesting  staff estimates
for replacing boulevard trees are out of line.

Last  night I read the staff report.

It cost $350. to remove a stump from the ground. Because  of limited space  and utilities replacements have to go into the exact spot the dead trees occupied.

The trees were thirty years old. Replacements have to be sizeable. Bigger trees cost more.

The ice storm was a catastrophe and now we are having to pay the price.

It's great that citizens participate in  discussion by way of  blog.  If that is  the only advantage of publishing, it  is well worth while.

$88,000 is a substantial sum. Council has a decision to make.

We can do it or not. We can do part of it. We can plant smaller trees. But whatever we plant has to be
planted properly. We can't  plant without removing the stumps.

 It's an expensive  process.

I have the mother of all stumps in my yard that I can't afford to remove. The  tree  was cut down before the ice storm and that was expensive.  I hate to look at dead branches .

But here's the thing. Council  has just directed staff to treat  park Ash trees against  Emerald Ash Borer at a cost of $38,000.

Staff did not advise it. The idea was suggested by an advisory committee  member.

Councillor Gallo ,Ballard and Gaertner feel citizen commitee members suggestions should  be  adopted because they are volunteers.  People can't be asked to volunteer and then disregarded.

EAB treatment costs $145. a tree.

All trees but one destroyed in the ices storm were ash .  Genetic treatment  for fast growth may have contributed to weakness.  Thirty-eight  were treated last year  at a cost of $5,500. The investment was wiped out by the ice storm .

$38.000 has been approved to treat ash trees in the parks. Another ice storm could  destroy all of them .

Emerald Ash borers are not the only villainous contributors to the plan.

$38,000 almost covers  the cost of removing  stumps to allow replacement  of boulevard trees.

Staff are the contact with  residents  Their advice to Council is to replace boulevard trees.

Should staff  or volunteers advise?

Should  Council  or volunteers decide?

Like Councillor Ballard, Councilllor Gallo  and Gaertner  took lessons  from their master.

And  like the Emerald Ash Borer , the infestation continues to thrive.