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Saturday, August 02, 1997 Page:
Valuable lesson rooted in Forty Fort tree dispute
One of the joys of newspaper work is watching a debate move forward until a
controversy can get resolved. In our opinion, the letters on today’s editorial
page push an important local issue in that directionWe commend the letters to
the attention of readers in Forty Fort, and in any other community where folks
take pride in the health and beauty of local trees.
The Forty Fort battle that the letters address concerned the future of an
old and prominent tree. Some homeowners thought the tree dangerous and wanted
it removed; the borough’s Shade Tree Commission agreed, and began trimming
some of the tree’s limbs.
But other homeowners and the local Historic Commission objected. They
complained to the Forty Fort council and the arguments began.
Vincent Cotrone’s letter makes two persuasive points.
First, the Shade Tree Commission’s authority over local trees is absolute.
That statement should end this part of the debate once and for all. “The Forty
Fort council has complete authority because the council can disband the
authority,” a lawyer argued at one point. Wrong: The tree commission, not the
borough council, decides the fate of local shade trees, according to state
law.
The council may well have the power to disband the tree commission. They
probably have the power to fire the police chief, too. But that doesn’t limit
the chief’s own power to enforce the law and make arrests. Nor does the
council’s authority limit the commission’s duty to take action regarding
trees.
But with authority comes responsibility, and that’s where Cotrone’s second
point comes in. The commission has the power to decide the fate of local
trees. It should therefore take pains to decide correctly.
That means commission members should not make decisions until they know
what they’re doing.
Was the Forty Fort tree pruned too fully and too hastily? Probably, Cotrone
suggests. A more precise or surgical pruning job might have removed the
hazardous branches while saving the tree. But now it may be too late.
Next time, this commission and others should ask the experts before pulling
the chain saw’s cord. That may mean consulting with a certified arborist such
as Cotrone himself. (As the only such professional in the county, Cotrone has
earned the attention.)
Forty Fort enjoys beautiful trees as well as an unusually active tree
commission. That’s not a coincidence. The commission acts in good faith and
has done a fine job for the town.
Commission members should take Cotrone’s advice next time and make their
good deeds even better. Tree lovers in other communities then should follow
suit.