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Q&A
Council member inquires about tree stump removal budget and process
4:12:25
·
100 sec
Council Member Linda Lee questions Commissioner Sue Donoghue about the adequacy of the additional $2 million budget for tree stump removal. Donoghue explains that while the one-shot funding is helpful, their new neighborhood tree planting approach will also address stump removal more comprehensively.
- An estimated 4,000 stump removals are currently in the queue
- The new neighborhood approach will remove stumps, plant trees, and address other related issues block by block
- The combination of one-shot funding and the new approach is expected to help tackle the backlog of stumps
Linda Lee
4:12:25
Hi, good afternoon.
4:12:27
Good afternoon.
4:12:28
Few questions.
4:12:29
I love talking about tree stumps, it's like one of my favorite topics.
4:12:33
And I know that 2,000,000 more was added to the budget, but just wanting to get a sense of if that is enough, I would say no because I would imagine that that is a pretty you know labor intensive task and so just wondering in terms of the additional money you've received sufficient, I would say not sufficient, but then how much more would you need?
4:12:58
Because I believe there's an estimated about 4,000 stump removals that are on in the queue, but Mhmm.
4:13:03
I'm sure there's more than that too.
4:13:05
Mhmm.
4:13:05
So I just wanted to get a
Sue Donoghue
4:13:06
Yes, and thank you for the question, council member.
4:13:09
So you're right.
4:13:10
We were pleased with the one shot funding for stump removal, really important.
4:13:14
And then I would just go back to what I was mentioning earlier with our neighborhood tree planting approach.
4:13:20
That is part of what is going to be beneficial about that is that it was the case it would just go on certain blocks or certain areas and just plant the trees.
4:13:29
Now when we're on a block, we're not only going to be we're going to be looking at the entire block.
4:13:34
So not just planting trees, but removing stumps that need to come out that have been there long standing, filling.
4:13:41
If there is a planted area that can no longer handle a tree, we'll be covering it or working with the community for what they want there.
4:13:51
So that combination of both the one shot and the neighborhood tree planting approach where we're going to be able to really be comprehensive in our approach and remove stumps is also going to help us get to that you know, backlog of stumps, absolutely.