After years of going without a tree board, Newport has proposed reconstituting one.
The Newport Board of Commissioners held a first reading at its Nov. 20 meeting. If approved, this would allow a board of five city residents to be appointed by the mayor and ratified by the board of commissioners.
The ordinance recommends that the board consist of at least one horticulture professional, an arborist or landscape professional, and a Newport Planning and Zoning Commission member. Each board member will be appointed for a four-year term or until the appointment of their successor. Three inaugural members will be set to a two-year term, and two shall be assigned to a four-year term.
“Years ago, we had a tree board, and at some point, I’m not really sure why we did away with it; the tree board was very effective,” Newport Manager Tom Fromme said.
Newport Vice Mayor Beth Fennell said she believes the board was dissolved due to difficulty getting enough people involved on the board and the efficiency of getting members together and acting in a reasonable amount of time.
Currently, Fromme said that tree decisions in the city filter through one person, which he said is unfair.
“I strongly believe that a board should be appointed just like we have for a lot of these things like planning and zoning or the board of adjustments or any other form of control enforcement boards,” he said. “We have a citizen board appointed to make decisions like that, and I think that’s the right way to do it.”
Fromme said there are many reasons why a tree may or may not need to come down, and many of them can become sensitive issues. He said public liability, such as tripping hazards, is one of those reasons. If successful, Fromme said a trip and fall litigation could cost $20,000-$50,000 or more.
“I’m not saying the tree has come down in every situation. That’s not what I’m saying,” Fromme said. “There could be other alternatives to save the tree. But there is more than just the viability of the tree that we have to take into account. We are responsible for public right of way.”
If approved, the board will hold regular meetings as it deems necessary for its business, based upon a schedule on file in the city clerk’s office, but there will be at least one quarterly meeting. All board meetings will be open to the public.
Newport Commissioner Mike Radwanski said he thought it was important for the board to receive training, and Fromme said they would receive in-house training.
“I think it’s important for folks to know that serving on any citizen board, there is a requirement that you need to go into this with the proper amount of training so that you can make judgments that are in the best interest of the city,” Radwanski said. “In some instances, those might be kind of challenging.”
Fromme said he would begin trying to get the board enacted after the first of the year if the commission approves the item at its December meeting.
