I was pleased to see our tree warden helping with the Sustainable Marblehead tree planting efforts. Giving guidance and helping volunteers planting along Cornell and Dartmouth Streets is commendable.
I’m not pleased that two phone calls to his office, one in mid-January and again on February 17, were a disappointing waste of time.
The messages left with the office worker asked that some of the newly-planted trees along Atlantic Avenue’s commercial zone be pruned.
During the second call, I was told the project was “on the list” of things to be done.
Given the simple task required to nip off the shoulder and eye level sprigs would be a max of five to 10 minutes, I politely offered to do it.
What’s up with the Tree Department? Who is steering the ship?
It appears that a simple, not to mention serious eye-safety concern, just didn’t warrant being scheduled over the past three-and-a-half months.
What were the other priorities on the work list? Was the schedule so over-heated that a spare few minutes couldn’t be shaved off?
In the meantime, the warden is planting more trees that his department will have to care for, and neglecting a taxpayer’s town safety concern; both while his department isn’t properly caring for the trees already in the ground.
So, anyone passing on the commercial end of Atlantic Avenue’s sidewalk, beware. There is the serious possibility of eye damage while passing the trees.
Jody Magee
Guernsey Street
