Village of Wellsville Mayor: Update on Main Street trees

From the Desk of Mayor Ed Fahs

Dear Wellsville neighbors,

I would like to take a moment and attempt to clarify a few issues surrounding the Honey Locust trees that were removed on the block of Main Street, from Pearl to Jefferson St.

First and foremost, the Village Board is committed to replanting these trees which have been cut down. We will work together with our Citizens Advisory Tree Board in selecting the ideal species, amount, and locations along this block for the new trees. The buildings are set back in this area which makes it an ideal location for properly selected trees.

While we had a less-than-ideal process for removing these trees, the fact remains that there was significant sidewalk deterioration from root growth which needed addressing, and any concrete removal while the trees were in place, inevitably runs the risk of root damage and future tree disease resulting in loss.

Since there may be some misunderstanding of our Local Laws, please allow me to expand on a couple points:

• As the name would imply, our Citizen’s Advisory Tree Board is advisory in nature, but still has many responsibilities. They provide the Village Board with reports involving the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting, removal or disposition of trees and shrubs in parks and along streets or in other public areas. They utilize the services of a Forester who helps determine several variables: if a good tree is in a good location, if it is in a bad location and should not have replanting done, and if they are diseased or in a declining state of health, among several other factors. The list is compiled into a comprehensive tree inventory which details the location, species, and condition of every tree on Village property. The Tree Board may also send property owners a notice if it is determined that a tree located on private property either obstructs public streets, sidewalks or utilities, or is determined to be diseased. Urban forestry is wrought with complexities, and our Tree Board has a large workload.
• Enforcement authority for this Local Law is vested in the Director of Public Works, or whomever he directs, and the Village is authorized to remove any public tree or part thereof which may be in an unsafe condition, or which by reasons of its nature, is injurious to sewer, electric, gas, or water lines, or other improvements.

I believe very strongly that the current members of our Tree Board are also the BEST community partners we could ask for. They truly love what the Tree Board has been instituted to accomplish, and they are heartily devoted to making our Village a true Tree City. Although we are continually hampered by the reality of budget constraints which tip the balance of tree planting versus removal in the opposite direction, their commitment to replanting is second to none.

While we work on correcting some of our procedures to bring more openness to this process, we welcome constructive public feedback, and ask your patience while we make repairs to this block. Our desire is to get the right trees planted in the right places, for our children – and theirs.

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Read our original reporting on the trees in question: