Minutes of the
The
The regular monthly
meeting of the West Pittston Shade Tree
Commission was held on
Pledge of
Allegiance was led by Pres. McHugh.
I.
On motion of Barr,
seconded by McHugh, minutes of the
II. Reports
- Treasurer Orth reported an account
balance of $7,444.47.
- Deposits included: $400.00 for ornament orders and $700.00
for removals/pruning.
- Disbursements included: $3743.72 for
the fall planting, $6.99 for the WPSTC website and $329.00 for Etchmaker.
D. On
motion of ? seconded by ?
accepted the treasurer’s report through
III. Unfinished Business and New Business
A. At
the request of council as represented by Kevin Lescavage and by unanimous vote,
the WPSTC will begin to forward certified letters which include case numbers to residents
who violate borough code and ordinances regarding unauthorized tree removal and
unauthorized tree trimming or topping.
The letter will request that the resident resolve the matter within a
designated time frame (by the next regularly scheduled meeting). If the resident has not responded a citation
will be issued from code enforcement.
B. Issuance
of fines was discussed further with the advice of Vinnie Cotrone via conference
call. Matters discussed included code
enforcement: they typically are
responsible for issuance of fines. Law
enforcement is not usually involved unless the resident is actually caught
while removing or trimming illegally.
Fine amount: it is recommended to
assert the highest fine amount (typically $300.00 per tree) with the assumption
that if it should go to the magistrate, the fine would more than likely be
reduced. Determine value of tree: Determine the asset value of the tree
illegally removed. Appraisal value
should include the tree size, placement, value in the community, etc.
V. Adjournment
On
motion of McHugh, seconded by Mansi, the meeting was adjourned at