Fayette Mayor Jeremy Dawson signed a proclamation last week signifying that the City of Fayette will recognize Arbor Day on Thursday, September 22.

The proclamation is symbolic of a larger effort once again designate Fayette as a Tree City USA city.

To earn Tree City USA designation, a city must maintain a tree board or department, have a community tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and celebrate Arbor Day.

The designation will further aid the city with regard to possible grants through the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) that help pay for tree maintenance and removal. The timing is crucial for Fayette, which hopes to secure grant funding to help pay for treatments to ash trees under attack from the emerald ash borer (see related article in August 17, Fayette Advertiser).

Mayor Dawson and Fayette’s tree board met with MDC urban forester Ann Koenig on August 29 to discuss the possibility for tree trimming grants. For now the focus is on treating the ash trees in the park. But if the city can regain its Tree City USA designation, further grants would become available to pursue for financial help regarding trees along city streets.

Koenig also made suggestions for Fayette to obtain a tree inventory.

The tree board also has other plans to plant new trees. A cypress tree will be planted at Paige-Liberty Park. White Oak trees will further planted in areas around Fayette. Additionally, plans have been made to plant a dogwood tree in the city park to fulfill the wishes of Lucile Thurmon who donated $150,000 toward the construction of Fayette’s splash park. Another $25,000 was donated for the tree and a memorial bench to be placed by the splash park.

“Members of the tree board have done a lot of hard work in the last two weeks,” said Southwest Ward Alderwoman Bekki Galloway.