Council plans for Ash tree removal

     Two quotes were received by Public Works Director Nick Kahler to remove 21 Ash trees along N. Cedar Street/Highway 38.

   Cy’s Tree Service offered a quote of $74,000; Kammiller Tree Service had a quote of $30,900.

   Kahler said he reached out to three companies; only two submitted quotes in time for the deadline.

   As for the discrepancy in the quotes, Kahler said he’s not sure…

   “Both quotes excluded removal of the tree stumps,” he told the Monticello City Council during their June 5 meeting. “They were not supposed to bid that.”

   In addition, Kahler said one of the companies spoke with the Iowa DOT about closing down Highway 38 during the project.

   “That was left on their shoulders to decide with the highlines and the road,” he said of leaving it up to the contractors.

   The council approved the low bid from Kammiller.

   There are also about 190 additional Ash trees throughout the city right of way that need to come down.

   “Some are worse than others,” offered Kahler.

   As of July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, there would be $40,000 in the tree budget. Kahler said he would make a list of the worst of the trees.

   “Do we have Ash trees in our parks?” asked Council member Candy Langerman.

   “A lot of them,” offered Parks and Rec Director Jacob Oswald. “And we have a lot of trees left to give away.”

   During the May 15 council meeting, Oswald shared that he received a $12,000 grant to give away trees to residents who would be losing Ash trees within the right of way. The replacement trees must be planted with the right of way, not on private property.

   If you live along N. Cedar Street and the tree(s) on your property have a pink ribbon around the trunk, contact Oswald for a replacement tree.

   “We have to document where these trees are planted,” Oswald said.

   Mayor Dave Goedken commented that there are about 12 Ash trees in and around Jacobs Park alone.

   During this same council meeting, there was talk of the Public Works IH tractor.

   Two years ago, the tractor was bought “out of necessity.” Since that time, it’s spent a lot of time in the shop in need of repairs. The issue stems from the DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) system. Kahler said he expects those issues to continue.

   “The tractor does not run long enough or hard enough for the DEF system to do what it needs to do,” he explained. “We are not doing the DEF system any good using it the way we do and then letting the tractor sit the rest of the year.”

   The tractor was mainly purchased to help with snow removal in the winter.

   Kahler explained that Scherrman’s Implement will take the tractor back from the city, treating the two years of use as rent.

   “They will subtract the two years of rental off of what we paid for the tractor and give us the difference,” continued Kahler. “We’ve put $94,000 in the tractor.”

   If the city were to keep the tractor, Scherrman’s asks that the city pay for the parts that were used for the engine overhaul.

   A third option would be for the city to sell the tractor themselves.

   “A lot of questions have been raised,” commented Goedken.

   Council member Tom Yeoman said he knows a local farmer the city could lease a tractor from for snow removal purposes, and save the city some money.

   Kahler said the city should be getting about $80,000 back from Scherrman’s after the rental cost is taken off. That money could help pay off the last three payments.

   The council approved selling the tractor back to Scherrman’s.