10-17-84 Parks Comm Minutes4:00 P. M. October 17, 1984
STREET & ALLEY/PARKS COMMITTEE MEETING
The committee met in the Conference Room at City Hall. Present were Chairman of Parks
Committee Springer, C Members Nystul and Manning, Street & Alley Chairman Palmer,
. Councilman Schindler, Parks Supt. Drent, Mayor McDowell, DPW Hammer, Construction In-
spector Vandyke and Roger Hopkins, DIL.
DPW Hammer stated that the Street Dept could help Parks with pruning and tree removal
and that with proper schedules both he and Supt. Drent felt it could be done.
C. Springer said the work wasn't being done and shifting personnel wouldn't help. He
only wants the Council to say that something is being done, and how, and he doesn't
care who does it. He suggests, for the first time, he said, that we should look at a
separate person, whether a secretary or whoever, to be responsible. We are deluding
ourselves that the Street/Parks Departments can handle the job in offseason periods.
People ought to be given an alternative and if they are willing to pay to have it done,
give them the mechanics to do so. If the City does the work, we need organization.
Supt Drent said that he drafted his proposal from the Helena tree ordinance because C.
Springer said that he liked it. He asked round the table how many calls councilmen were
getting on tree problems. Replies were "none" or "one", C. Springer reported 3 dozen
since the tree issue was publicized. Drent stated that his proposal was pretty much like
the one that was wiped out. He doesnt feel that permits are needed, nor are tree services
being used and he hasn't received a tree request in the last week. There are only 6,000
trees in town and he has been able to keep up. His main concern is that if people keep
planting we will have a real problem in 20 years.
C. Nystul said that step 1 would be to determine the point of jurisdiction over trees
on right-of-way. The next step is to draft an ordinance which addresses tree planting,
pruning and removal.
DPW explained that it would be more costly to contract out than to add staff. C. Springer
agreed that there would be cost to the City if in-house, but stated that he doesn't know
that he ever suggested the City hire an independent outside contractor.The private
sector would be allowed to hire a contractor.
C. Schindler said that a better management schedule would help and that the Street Dept.
helping Parks has never been given a real chance to work.
C. Palmer asked for round table comments on what policy should be:
C. Springer said there was a communication problem and stated again so the record would
be very clear: he wants the City to accept the responsibility of the tree problem and
offer an alternative whether it is in-house as can be or whether it allows people to
hire the job done under the auspices of the City. He has never said that he wants this
City to hire an independent contractor. His concept of an ordinance creates the struc-
ture for it to be done in-house and also allows for a permit system so that someone has
the overview, structure should be put in place. Again, he feels tree maintenance is not
not the responsibility of Supt. Drent and Parks, but ofthePublic Works Department. He
said he was sorry if he previously misstated his stand.
C. Schindler agrees with Springer that residents should be allowedtohire contractors
outside, in-house, Supt. Drent should be responsible, he is doing an alright job so far
and policy will work and cost less if superintendents organize their men.
C. Manning feels there is too much language in both proposals, specific trees a manage-
ment decision. He would like a bare bones policy with specifics decided on management
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Street & Alley/Parks Committee Meeting Page 2 October 17, 1984
recommendations. Minor changes would be changed under management. Preferably, trees
should be under DPW with our particular structure.
C. Springer, in rebuttal, stated that tree species should be under the tree ordinance
and that Supt. Drent shouldn't be under the supervision of the Mayor but in proper
chain of command, under the Department of Public Works.
Supt. Drent stated that he could handle trees under the supervision of the Director
of Public Works or the Mayor.
DPW Hammer said that everyone was on the same wave length, it was a misconception of
C. Springer's proposal to contract work out. He also feels that both ordinances are
close, agrees that tree species are important and that there will be no problems with
joint efforts of Parks and Street Departments.
C. Nystul says we have arrived at a general agreement that there must be a specific
ordinance, it is then a matter of public records of what and where trees may or may
not be planted. As Supt Drent has pointed out many times, if we don't do something
about planting soon, the problem is going to be there. This needs to be addressed
with basic guidelines very soon. He agrees with C. Springer that the contact person
should be the DPW pr a person designated by him.
C. Springer asked DPW Hammer if he has put together a rough draft proposal to imple-
ment an ordinance as his committee suggested four weeks ago. He was advised that it
was ready to be typed. Springer stated that nothing could be done until we see that
for discussion.
C. Inspector Vandyke felt that the departments should be able to work together.
Mayor McDowell said that DPW Hammer hasn't the time, he is already overworked and spread
too thin to be saddled with the responsibility of tree supervision. He praised Supt.
Drent for being an expert in his field, has contact with the people in the community,
works closely with the Director of Public Works and that he certainly knows his job.
C. Palmer said that a contact person was needed for trees, he believes it should be
Supt. Drent. A time schedule is needed for coordination of time for tree removal.
what can or cannot be planted should come from Supt. Drent. The ordinance will be
drafted and DPW as administrator will delegate duties.
A brief discussion of street problems, particularly the excavation done by the phone
company -with talk of cancellation of their excavation permit, was pointed out to DPW
Hammer, who assured that something would be done.
Meeting adjourned at 4:55.
Iris
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