Davis City Manager Steve Pinkerton recently announced the elimination of two city tree crew positions. I strongly recommend reversal of this unwise decision. Trees take a lot of inspection and maintenance, and the city needs a permanent crew to carry out this important task.

As a homeowner myself, I have had the personal experience of my own tree problems. Over the past 16 years, since I bought my home in East Davis, I’ve had to take down at least four trees, as well as trim several more.

Constant care is needed, just to avoid damage to property or injury to people, especially after heavy winds. The effects of those great winds are the greatest single threat to all our homes in Davis. That is why I have invested heavily in caring for my trees.

If you multiply the number of my tree problems by the thousands of Davis people who have their own tree problems, together with those of the city itself, you can see what an enormous total problem this is. I would say that one of the greatest threats to the city comes from its trees, especially during great winds.

Let me conclude with the following paraphrase of Thomas Jefferson: “Eternal vigilance is the price of Treedom.” You really have to keep a hawk eye on the city’s trees. Not only does such vigilance save many trees, it also saves many people from bodily injury or death, not to mention property damage.

Joel I. Friedman

Davis

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