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| Click on Tree for its reaction ;-) |
While council has historically recognized the need to deal with this matter, some monies have been deferred , causing the situation to remain in limbo. As reported by CATCH, "forestry staff were spending most of their time responding to a backlog of 6900 emergency cutting requests. In 2006, council agreed to a ten-year gradual increase in the street tree trimming budget, but hasn't stuck to the schedule".
"Half the budget for year three of the cycle
was deferred
in 2008, with the other half the only new spending in the 2009 budget. The
pattern continued last year with just half the money allocated
again, but last week an attempt to add the other half – $350,000 – was defeated in a tie
vote.
That came after public works general manager
Gerry Davis, under pressure from council for more cuts, offered to entirely
remove this
year’s tree trimming request. His justification included waiting for the
results of a new study on how to deal with the Emerald
Ash Borer, a beetle that is expected to kill virtually all the city’s ash
trees and force their removal by forestry crews."
Clr. McHattie argued that the city could be exposed to lawsuits if branches and tress began to fall, causing damage or injuries/death. Clr. Ferguson said that he is "“not on for anything that’s going to take the budget north”
Councillors voting for
McHattie’s motion were Russ Powers, Brenda Johnson, Jason Farr, Sam Merulla and
Pearson. On the other side were Mayor Bratina, Scott Duvall, and Judi Partridge
along with Ferguson, Jackson and Whitehead.
The 6-6 tie means the proposal is defeated.
The issue could be re-visited on April 27 when council is scheduled to finalize
all its budget decisions.
What is your advice to council. How should this be resolved?
Teresa
Aw shucks, tree didn't react !:-(
ReplyDeleteSo our taxes can build a stadium for the profiteers but can't trim the trees for us. What else is new, and when are we gonna change our voting habits?
I have to say that this is the most stupid thing that council did. Are they not exposing themselves to all types of liabilities? I have two elm trees on border of my property and city, I have called the city in the past and had them trim the trees, branches reaches out over the Jolley cut and as all elm trees, tons old dead branches. This would be akin to not clearing sidewalks, OOps! I forgot councilor Ferguson's residents get their sidewalk cleared sweet deal!
ReplyDeleteCity needs $350,000 more for tree trimming. Divided by 15 (# of Alderman) = $23,333 off each payroll. That will work! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhy did the city plant Ash Trees in the first place? They should have planted MAPLE trees instead so we could tap them for delicious healthy Maple Syrup for our pancakes! yum, yum! Then, the city could be re-named to MAPLETON! :-) Get the military helicopters to yank the ash! It would probably be cheaper and quicker then trimming them!
ReplyDeleteIf the Ash trees will be a ongoing costly problem, why not make a deal with the Mennonite community to remove them for free and they can make nice furniture from them?
ReplyDeleteThen plant Maple trees in those spots so we can tap them for syrup for our Pan-am-cakes! :-)
FACT: The City of Hamilton WASTES $2-$3 MILLION per year of hard earned tax payers dollars on Fluoridating our drinking water with highly TOXIC mining industry smokestack scrubber CANCER causing chemicals! (which are causing a myriad of permanent physical and mental health problems) If Fluoridation was banned, (like many other cities have done) this city would have the money to properly trim trees, to purchase the necessary equipment to also filter out the Toxic Chlorination chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs, heavy metals, etc. from our drinking water so it is SAFE to consume! The literature presented to them on the Fluoride chemicals also warns that it causes people, pets and animals to be DOCILE and STUPID! I think many of the City Councillors and the Mayor have been drinking and eating too much of the stuff! :-) hmmmm
ReplyDeleteDavid
ReplyDeleteYou are unknowingly or knowingly decipating erroneous information. Fluoride(solid form) recovered from smokestacks are refined to medical grade as per regulatory organizations and introduce in our water system in a gaseous form, unlike your statement that we use fluoride directly from smokestacks to put in our water.While you are at it, why didn't you mention fluoride in toothpaste which according to the internet are subject to cross bones labeling in the US. This is what I call internet science.
More on the subject at hand, for anyone who would like to make money suing the city come and stand at the corner of Arkleden and John Street and wait for a dead branch from my elm trees to fall on your head.
Yves Dubeau BSc, MSc, MBa
former VP World sales of smokestack monitoring equipment.
To crow about not wanting to "take the budget north" while brazenly supporting the continued sidewalk snow removal expenses in his ward is the height of hypocrisy.
ReplyDeleteIf Ancaster residents get their sidewalk snow shoveled, all residents should.
If non-Ancaster residents have to shovel their snow, this bonus for Ancaster should be cancelled immediately.
The tree cutting budget allocation was not a frill to be cavalierly dismissed.
No wonder this council continues to garner disrespect.
Hey Yves Dubeau, Please go to http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopfluoridatinghamiltonontario/signatures . Read Signers #29 and #30 PARTS 1 and 2 of "EXPERT WARNS CITIES TO STOP FLUORIDATION" by Gary O. Pittman
ReplyDeleteto educate yourself better. Excerpts: "I know the fluorosilicic acid and sodium fuorosilicate pollution from phosphoric acid
production can't be good for anyone. My
co-workers and myself are examples of the
harmful, toxic effects of these products; we
were exposed to the same pollution that is
dumped into much of America's drinking water
as a fluoridation agent." and "No one has any
idea of what reactions will occur under heat
and partial vacuum. All these chemicals
including radionuclides and other heavy metals
are in the FSA/SFS. Some of the chemicals used
in the process are also known carcinogens and
neurotoxic substances." "FSA/SFS is a real "witches brew." The bottom line is: You
cannot mix that many reactive chemicals
together under conditions which inspire
reactions and not create a product unique to
any other fluoridation agent produced in
another environment. Possibly many fluorides
are created with unique toxicological
characteristics that do not readily dissociate in water as stated by the EPA/CDC.
Interestingly, all the people who say this
product is "safe" have no concept of how it is produced. They cannot produce one safety study
using either FSA or SFS from the manufacture of phosphoric acid. However, all responsible Federal agencies say it is safe without any
data to back up the statement (see EPA
Fluoride: Regulatory Fact Sheet). hmmm WOW!
David
ReplyDeleteWhile you are at it you should check MSDS sheets for magnesium, zinc and others, people ingest these in vitamin form. Everything can be poisonous in certain quantities. If you could steer me in a direction where scientists published in a credible science periodical I would read it. There is so much invalid information on the internet which is not reviewed or vetted by credible scientists that you can not take that info as science.
Surprised The Hamiltonian is publishing Fluoride rants on a tree budget thread. I guess its for the tenuous link to budget of one tied to the budge of the other...
ReplyDeleteBrian Henley, It is my understanding that Ancaster residents pay extra for their sidewalk snow removal and that other areas of the city could also have their sidewalk snow removed if they were willing to pay.
Me, I'll shovel my 25 feet of sidewalk as well as my neighbours 25 feet. Not a big deal, though I would pay extra to have my tree properly maintained, after all it's around 100 years old and I want it to safely and healthily last as long as possible.
News to me re extra payments being possible for snow removal.
ReplyDeleteWill check - never heard of this option before.
Somehow I doubt it but will investigate.
Please note: Those who are using threads to introduce arguments about fluoride or any other theme that is off topic, please use the appropriate thread. Comments that are off topic will not be published.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
The facts are that yes Ancaster residents pay extra for snow removal, but we in the older part of town pay extra for transit that many of us do not utilize.
ReplyDelete