Town rehires arborist to review another 1,000 trees
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

It's been more than 14 months since the Town of Amherst was in a state of emergency in October 2006, but the work will last at least another two to three years, Highway Superintendent Bob Anderson, said.

The town will launch another phase of the work this week after rehiring arborist Bill Snyder at its Dec. 17 meeting to review another 1,000 trees. The work is estimated to take 75 hours.

Anderson said this is in response to the "Charlie Brown, or matchstick" trees that were identified by residents.

"Another group of 600 trees were called in," he said, which is in addition to 900 located by the town.

The number continues to grow each day, although the town has removed more than 3,400 storm-damaged trees.

The town was able to rehire Snyder and retain R.E.S. Company, the tree removal company contracted by Erie County, through a Federal Emergency Management Agency extension.

Anderson said the extension, valid through March, is unheard of. But it works in the town's favor because the contracted price of removing trees is extremely cheap.

An additional one to two months was requested by the town but denied. Anderson said he wanted the extension to last further into spring.

Snyder, owner of William Snyder Consulting Arborist and registered by the American Society of Consulting Arborists, will review the trees in question and decide which need to be cut down.

"The trees where there is no question will be cut first," Anderson said.

Once the extension has expired, the town will have to re-bid for a tree removal company, which Anderson expects to be at a much higher price. Trees cut after the FEMA deadline are done at a cost to the town.

In response to accusations that the town is cutting "too fast," Anderson said the same process has been followed throughout this ordeal - all trees being cut down were marked by a certified arborist or were an obvious safety concern.

"We have never been in a hurry," he said. "One thing we have done is to be patient, to make sure we didn't make mistakes."

Anderson admitted that during the first phase, two trees were cut down by mistake. In the last group of 1,063 removed, there were no mistakes he said.

People with a tree on the right of way in front of their house can question its fate by e-mailing checmytree@amherst.ny.us or calling 631-5990, ext. 19.