Southwest Ward Alderwoman Bekki Galloway took umbrage with how the city is trimming trees around power lines. While Mrs. Galloway and the city both agree that trees must be cut back to ensure the health of the electrical system, how trees are being trimmed and the lack of notices to property owners created a somewhat heated discussion during the city council’s most recent meeting on Tuesday, February 14.

The city, in recent years, has made trimming trees around power lines a priority. Most power outages over the last decade can be traced to fallen tree limbs on power lines. 

Alderwoman Galloway said she received a complaint from a constituent in her ward about a tree that was trimmed. 

“The magnolia tree was just butchered,” she said. “I know it’s important. We’re going to have to deal with this electric grid, and we’re going to have to remove trees. I feel like we need to have a letter we can give people a few days ahead. Because we have to acknowledge the fact that people are going to feel loss and grief over their trees.” 

Danny Dougherty, the city’s public works director, said he wanted to remove more of the magnolia tree.

“I would have liked to take it off at the ground because it’s within our 10-foot right-of-way,” he said.

He suggested the city pass an ordinance that says if a tree is within the 10-foot right-of-way, it will be taken down entirely. 

Mayor Jeremy Dawson acknowledged the recent spate of mild weather that gave city crews an opportunity to work on tree trimming, suggesting that the city does not always know in advance when it will cut trees. 

“I’ve had people come up to me and say they want to move out of town because we’re cutting down their trees,” said Alderwoman Galloway. “There’s a big PR problem here, and we’ve got to address it.”

An ordinance grants the city a right-of-way of 10 feet (five feet on either side of power lines) to cut back or remove any trees that interfere with electric cables. The city has focused on the protection of the lines over the last few years, and the council has budgeted $50,000 a year just for tree trimming around lines. Tree limbs that rest against power lines cause line loss, where electricity from the power lines flows through the trees into the ground. This can also pose fire and electrocution dangers.  

“The trees that we’re cutting back are having burn spots,” explained Fayette Mayor Jeremy Dawson. “If you go out at night and walk the lines, they are sparking with the tree limbs hitting them. The biggest problem in the last five years has been the power going out every other week.”

Mrs. Galloway did not dispute the need for tree trimming. But she strongly suggested the city send citizens a letter explaining the ordinance and the city’s plans regarding tree trimming.

Mayor Dawson suggested a letter be written by the tree board, of which Mrs. Galloway is a part. 

Alderwoman Galloway agreed to write the letter but said it must come from the city council. “It’s not going to be from me. It’s going to be from the City of Fayette with your names on it,” she said.

The letter will include a list of recommended trees. Such trees would be smaller so as not to interfere with overhead lines.

Mrs. Galloway also wants the city to dig a hole for any property owner who wishes to plant a recommended tree in place of a tree that was removed.

Also, with regard to trees, a Mulberry tree in Paige-Liberty Park is decaying and in poor condition. 

“It’s dangerous,” Dougherty explained. “If half of it goes, it will take out that whole [electrical] pole. If the other half goes, it’s going to land on the shelter house. But there are some people who love it and want to keep it.” 

Another tree near the gun range at D.C. Rogers Lake is in need of addressing as well.

The focus on trees has come as the tree board is working to re-establish Tree City USA status for the City of Fayette. For many years prior, the city had attained the certification, which has lapsed in recent years. Being a certified Tree City would allow Fayette to qualify for grant funding and other financial help regarding tree health around the city. This is particularly important now as the Emerald Ash Borer has taken root in trees here, and treatments and tree removal are expensive.

A survey of all trees within the Fayette city limits was recently completed. It is available to view at http://fayettemo.treekeepersoftware.com/. 

“The Tree Survey will hopefully assist the City of Fayette in decisions about treatment, maintenance, removal, and replacement of trees in the parks and right of ways,” said Alderwoman Galloway.

The City of Fayette received a 90% match from the Missouri Department of Conservation through a TRIM grant to pay for this survey.