HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 04-14 Maplewood suits up for elm battle THE REVIEW Maplewood suits up for elm battle
by Scott Carlson may have one case.The next year you with the high bids.
Suiting up for what may be its worst may have 150 cases and the next year you But when the project was re-advertised
bout with the Dutch Elm beetle, the may have 2,000 cases." and new bids opened last week there was
Maplewood city council has awarded a Last year 1,326 Maplewood trees were only a$6,000 difference between the low
$90,000 contract to the L and B Tree removed either by the city or private bid of the first time and the low bid of the
Service for the removal of diseased trees. contractors. second round.
"The mild winter we enjoyed was also No one is ever able to tell which trees Cass,at last Thursday night's council
enjoyed by the beetles and fungus,"said may be succumbing to the disease and meeting,explained that labor costs have
Bill Cass,Maplewood office assistant in which ones can survive its ravishes. gone up tremendously. Workman's
the engineering department. And that Miller said that while in Missouri he compensation,he said,has gone up from
means the number of diseased Dutch noticed that perfectly healthy trees were $6.25 to$26 per 100 individuals on the
elms may be reaching epidemic dying overnight while his own Dutch Elm payroll.
proportions this year,he indicated. "whose branches fell down every spring"
In St.Paul alone some 8,000 to 20,000 lasted well through the worst period. Landfill costs also have increased,Cass
trees may have to be removed,he said. Waging the war against Dutch Elm indicated.Within the next five years all
And according to City Manager Michael disease is costly not only because of the landfills in the seven county area will be
Miller,Maplewood may have to remove number of trees lost but because of the exhausted,he reported.
about 5,000 trees. money spent. "This accounts for some of the increase
"Dutch Elm disease increases The council a few weeks ago rejected we face," Cass said. "We have no
geometrically,"Miller explained Friday the first bids for the disease tree removal alternative."
morning,the day after the council had project because they were so high.City The best that the city can do is to hope
awarded the tree removal contract to L officials at that time speculated that a for rapid work to help cut down costs,he
and B Tree Service."The first year you "penalty provision"had something to do concluded.