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This past weekend, illegal tree trimming and topping took place in six of the city-owned planter boxes at Sixth and Wabash in downtown Terre Haute. The work was ordered by local attorney Mike Ellis, who recently purchased the former Rogers Jewelers building at the northwest corner of that intersection.
The work began on Saturday, but it was interrupted by the mayor’s Director of Public Affairs, Darrel Zeck. Darrel noticed that the street and sidewalk were both being blocked by the people doing the cutting, and he stopped to urge them to manage the site in a way that allowed the public to better-navigate the area. Eventually, city police were called, and a warning was issued to the unlicensed workers. They stopped cutting, cleaned up the limbs and left, but permanent damage had already been done to both trees on the Sixth Street side of Rogers Jewelers.
Those of us who were aware of the episode on Saturday were relieved that the damage done by these obviously untrained workers had been limited to just two trees. But the same people returned the next day.
When I arrived on the scene Sunday morning, the sidewalks at that intersection were chest-deep in downed limbs. The same worker with the chain saw was feverishly hacking on two trees along the Wabash Avenue side of Rogers Jewelers, and the scope of his work had been expanded to include four trees at the southwest corner of the intersection. When questioned, he insisted that only Mike Ellis could speak to what he was doing.
I called Mike and was told that he had again ordered the work, and that the cutting would go on until he decided it was done. I informed Mike Ellis that the police had already been called again, and that I would do my best to bring media attention to the situation. Both local television stations sent out reporters and cameramen, as did the Tribune-Star. Mike and Kal Ellis also came.
When the cameras started rolling, Mike began his presentation by demanding a “thank you” from me for the tree work that he was taking into his own hands at Sixth and Wabash. There is no way for me to thank Mike Ellis without being sarcastic and unpleasant. And I don’t wish to be either — Mike is my neighbor, and we share a common interest in seeing downtown Terre Haute continue to improve. But the truth is, in my opinion, that Mike disobeyed the law because he failed to get permission to do work on city trees through our City Forester; failed to obtain a permit for work in a city right-of-way; failed to get a permit to block city sidewalks and streets; failed to hire a person who is licensed, bonded, insured and trained to properly trim trees; and failed to follow instructions from the Terre Haute police to stop the work.
I hope that anyone who wonders what all of this consternation is about will come downtown and look at the trees around Rogers Jewelers — they were butchered, and the damage would have been more severe if the untrained worker with the chain saw had not been stopped on both Saturday and Sunday.
Terre Haute has had a Street Tree Ordinance in place for over a decade now. City Forester Bill Kincius and his predecessors, along with volunteers from TREES, Inc., have worked hard to educate citizens about not topping trees and the value of maintaining a healthy street tree canopy. Terre Haute has been recognized as a Tree City USA every year since 1999 for our progressive approach to caring for our urban forest.
I urge all citizens to comply with our Street Tree Ordinance when they want to trim or remove trees in tree rows or on other city-owned property. Please contact Bill Kincius at 244-4949 with your questions about maintaining trees in your tree row or on other city-owned property. Bill will assess the condition of the tree, instruct you on how and where to obtain a permit, and provide information on tree contractors who are licensed, bonded, insured, and trained to properly trim trees on city-owned property. If the tree is a safety hazard, Bill can help get it removed.
I sincerely hope this episode will result in more citizens becoming aware of the steps that everyone needs to take before altering any trees on city-owned property. If you have questions or concerns about this well-established part of our City Code, please feel free to contact me at (812) 232-2595. I will help you find answers, and guide you to the dedicated workers in city government who manage and protect our urban forest every day.
— Todd Nation
City Council, 4th District
Terre Haute
