Loading...
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 16 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 9