266598 ��
WHITE - CITY CLERK ��^���
PINK - FINANCE COIICICll ��
CANARY - LjEPARTMENT GITY OF SAINT PAITL File NO. �
BLUE -MAVOR
� cil Resolution
Presented By
Referred To Committee: Date
Out of Committee By Date
WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Saint Paul has approved the
attached Shade Tree Disease Removal and Assessment Program for the City
of Saint Paul ; and,
WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Saint Paul has adopted the assess-
ment policy for the removal of diseased trees from private property set
forth on page five of the attached report; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Saint Paul does hereby
authorize the transfer of $61 ,510 from the fund balance Dutch Elm
Disease Control ( 3912) and $25,990 from the Reserve for Dutch Elm �'�—�°
Disease Control ( 3674) to an account, 1975 Dutch Elm Disease Control
Assessment Program (fund number to be assigned) to be used for the removal
of diseased Dutch Elm trees from private p�roperty.
Approved as to funding: Approved:��
,
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Direct r, Finance & ement Services udget Dir ctor
vW�'
COUIVCILMEN Requested by Department of: �-
Yeas Nays
Christensen � Community Services
� Hunt In Favor
Levine
Rcedler v Against
Sylvester
Tedesco
Ptesident� Ho2za
.�/�� $ 1976 Form Approved by 't At ney
Adopted by ci : Date
Ce ' ied Passe by n ' etary BY
By
Approved Mayor: Da Approved b Mayor o cil
By By
Pu��sHEU ,�AN i ? ,�7s
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1975
DUTCH ELM DISEASE
CONTROL REPORT
November 12, 1975
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
Robert P. Piram, Director
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1975 DUTCH ELM DISEASE CONTROL REPORT
I. Background .
Dutch Elm disease is caused by a fatal fungus which is spread by European and
native elm bark beetles. The entire life cycle of the elm beetle depends on
its parasitic relationship with ea,m trees. If the beetles develop in a dis-
eased tree their bodies may carry as many as one million spores of the causitive
fungus. When the beetles feed on healthy elms the spores enter the vascular
systems of the trees and new infections occur.
There is no cure for Dutch Elm disease. The Saint Paul control program is de-
signed to keep elm losses from reaching epidemic proportions. The incidence
of Dutch Elm disease since its arrival in St. Paul in 1961 provides a clear y
picture of the magnitude of the increase. Elm losses in 1975 represent a 67%
increase over those of i974.
1961 - 1 tree 1966 - 8 trees 1971 - 340 trees
1962 - 0 1967 - 8 trees 1972 - 801 trees
1963 - 8 trees 1968 - 5 trees 1973 - 585 trees
1964 - 3 trees 1969 - 163 trees 1974 - 1 ,594 trees
1965 � 2 trees 1970 - 204 trees 1975 - 2,682 trees
TOTAL . . . . . . 6,454 trees
In response to the need to control the spread of the disease� the Saint Paul
Dutch Elm disease control program directs its efforts to the following activities:
1. Survey and detectfion
2. Chemical root,graft control
3. Sanitation (removal of diseased trees and elimination of beetle
breeding material )
' 4. Reforestation with a more diversified tree population
All of these steps are vital to the success of any control program. However,
the rapidly increasing incidence of Dutch Elm disease is placing a strain on �
the capacity of the City to perform all phases of the program.
II. Problem Statement
A. Primary Problem
1. 1975 Diseased Tree Removal .
The increased incidence of Dutch Elm disease has i.ntensified the pro6lem
of timely removal of diseased trees from pu6lic and private property. The
disease increase of 67� since 1974 was not foreseen when the 1975 6udget
was developed. The result is that the existing budget cannot provide
enough personnel and equipment to keep pace with the tree removal needs
on both public and private property. The addition of extra crews� funded
by the transfer of reforestation funds, will enable the City to remove
conden�ed trees on public property in 1975.
However, the City will not have enough personnel or monies to rer�ve the
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large number of condemned trees on private property which endanger the
City's attempts to control Dutch E! m disease. Private property owners
have lagged far behind in their removal of diseased trees. As of October
31, 1974, 73� of the condemned trees had been removed. Only 41� of the
condemned trees on private property had been removed by the same date in
1975. This has been attributed to:
1. Increased tree removal costs, including the high cost of disposal ;
2. Lack of comnercial companies capable of ineeting the demands of the
metrapolitan area for tree removal services;
3. Property owner requests that the City remove the trees and assess
costs over a period of years; and y
4. Pr�perty owners anticipating proposed State subsidy programs.
In order to ensure timely removal , it appears that the City of Saint Paul
will have to remove or contract for removal of a minimum of 350 con�
demned trees from private property in 1975. This has �not heen a
necessity in the past; the City r.e�ved only 11 trees from private
property in 1974. However, 875 condemned trees remain to be removed
from private property as of November 7, 1975. Of these remaining trees,
an estimated 350 will have to be removed by the City at an average cost
of $250 each.
2. 1976 Diseased Tree Removal .
Tre� removal on private property using City funds will be necessary in
1976 as part of the City's Shade Tree Disease Control Program. Al1 signs
indicate that Dutch Elm disease will continue its increase in 1976,
compounding the elements that have creatQd the 1975 tree removal crisis.
The City must provide additional funding for 1976 tree removal in order
to ensure the continued effectiveness of Saint Paul 's disease control effort.
B. Related Problems
1 . Cost of Disposal
The costs for the disposal of diseased trees represents a substantial
proportion of the costs of tree removal both for the City and for the
private citizen. The nearest approved disposal site available to
St. Paul residents requires a 30 to 40 mile round trip. The inconven-
ience and the cost of disposal results in the illegal dumping of dis-
eased wood in vacant areas, storage of it on private property or de-
cisions by private property owners not to remove the tree themselves.
These actions result in additional work and cost for the City. Efforts
to destroy elm beetle breeding material are also jeopardized.
2. Reforestation
The Dutch Elm disease control program is designed to limit the spread
of the infection while allowing for the planting of a more diversified
tree population. There is little hope of halting the disease which
could eradicate the Dutch Elms. These trees comprise 85� of the St.Paul
tree population.
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B. Related Problems (Reforestation - cont'd)
The future of the urban forest depends on the orderly transition to a
� mixed tree population. Plans for 1976 call for the transfer of reforest-
ation funds allocated in the 1976 Shade Tree Disease Control Budget to
: provide vital survey and sanitation operations. The same course of
action was employed in 1975 resulting in CIB as the only source of
funds available for 1975 tree plantings. Unless additional funding
for replacement of diseased trees is found, reforestation efforts
will fall hopeiessly behind the recommended one-to-one-replacement rate.
III. Objectives
A. The �rim�ar ob�ective of any action is to keep Dutch Elm disease from
reac �nh'�g epidemic proportions by: '�
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1 . facilitating prompt removal of diseased trees on public property;
2. providing for the removal of diseased trees on private property
for those unable or unwilling to remove the trees promptly;
3. encouraging private property owners to make arrangements for
removal of condemned trees on their property.
B. Secondary objectives should include action:
1 . to develop a more economical , convenient and ecologically sound
means of disposing of diseased wood, both for the City and pri-
vate property owners; and
2. to ensure one-to-one replacement of diseased trees with mixed
species trees. -
IV. Criteria �
Potential solutions should:
1 , achieve the primary objectiv,es (irr�nediate priority)
2. achieve the secondary objectives (second priority)
3. be economically and practically feasible
� � V. Alternatives
A. 1975 Tree Removal
l . No action.
The decision to take no action to remove diseased trees on public
and private property will result in the complete negat3nn of Saint;
Paul 's shade tree diseaso control pft'nrr,. Th�± ��r9m;�r,y m���,fuul nt
im{�r�l'i�ty tl►e� spr�A�l ti l' I.h�� �I i�,��n�;c� ►'����u l w�,� 1.1��� I►r�►ui��L r�,iuuvn l n l
�:o��clen�ned trees. Un1 ess I;he cli�,e��s���( t.r�tes i�rc� rc�iiu�vc��l� ',1,. I'f��il
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A. . 1975 Tree RamoYal �cpnt�dl
faces an explosive increase in infected trees next spring and summer
as a, result of the beetles which infest the diseased trees. Control
� of such an increase with the available budget would be impossible.
2. Use the 1975 General Revenue Contingency Reserve.
These funds would be used for the removal of diseased trees on
' private property and the initial costs of an assessment policy.
($87,500 will be required for this alternative.)
As of November 7, 1975 only $83,000 remained in the 1975 General
Revenue Contingency Reserve. This amount is not sufficient to '�
remove the estimated 350 condemned trees on private.
3. Draw from the Dutch Elm Dedicated Fund.
7hese funds would be used for the removal of diseased trees on
private property and the initial costs of an assessment policy.
($87,500 will be required for this alternative.)
There is $237,877.30 in the Dutch Elm Dedicated Fund and Reserve.
The requested amount of funding will permit the City to remove
or contract for removal of the remaining diseased trees on private
property condemned in 1975.
The City of Saint Paul is required to have a uniform assessment
policy for recovering costs for diseased tree removal on private
property. Under an assessment policy, the City pays the initial
cost of tree removal and can recover the money through a number of
methods:
a. Continue to collect the tree removal costs in one installment.
A public hearing is required prior to ratification of
the assessment. At that time the City Council has the
authorit to spread the tree removal assessments (in equal
payments� over a ten year period. Problems with this option
include:
(1 ) any extension of the assessment period will result in
a cost recovery lag,
(2) people not attending the hearing would have to pay the
assessment in one installment regardless of any hard-
ship, and �
(3) the City Council would be required to spend time making
decisionson individual cases.
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A. 1975 Tr�e Removal (cont'd)
b. Adopt a policy where the private property owner is allowed the
option of paying for tree removal in equal installments over a set
period of time. This assessment policy would spread payments over
a maximum of ten years, based on payments of approximately $10 per
month. (There is a 6� yearly interest rate. )
(1) Bills of up to $120 would be paid in one year;
(2) $120 to $600 would be paid over a five year period; and
(3) Bills that are$600 or more could be billed over a ten year ;�;
, period.
This policy allows flexibility for the property owner and lets
people in hardship situations pay tree removal bills in realistic
payments.
Since a uniform assessment policy must be adopted we recommend that
policy b. be approved. (See attached schedule for long range
projections of the financial impact of adopting this policy.)
B. 1976 Tree Removal
1. No action.
Without a transfer or addition of funds to the Shade Tree Disease Control
Program in 1976, Saint Paul wi]1 be faced with a tree removal crisis
similar or worse that that faced in 1975, This will again jeopardize
the effectiveness of the entire control program. ,
2. State/City Subsidy.
The City can use a subsidy program to encourage private property owners
to remove trees promptly. This alternative consists of three potential
subsidy programs:
a. The City cdn take part in the subsidy program curreni:ly iu��df�d
by the State. This program provides up to $50 in State funds to
match an equal or greater amount paid by the City. (Shade Tree
Disease Control Act, Minn. Statutes, Section 18.023)
It is the policy of the City to attempt to shift sorae of the tax
burden for State programs back to the State. By agreeing to
participate in this subsidy program, we will be going against this
particular policy; in fact, this action would add to the City tax
burden at a rate of $50 per tree.
A request for CD Year II funding could provide $75,000 for the City
match (grant application attached). This would provide a maximum
$100 subsidy for the removal of 1500 trees on private property.
This would not have the effect of shifting the burden back to the
State, how�ever.
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B. 1976 Tree Removal (cont'd)
b. The City can support proposed State legislation calling for
tax credits of 50� to private property owners over 65 and tax
deductions for those under 65 for the removal of condemned shade
trees. (Kempe - H.F. No. 1869)
This option is dependent on passage by the legislature. However,
it is recomrnended that this legislation be suppor.ted by the City
of Saint Paul as a beneficial program for City residents. This
proposal places the tax burden for a statewide problem on the State.
c. The City can support new State legislation for a maximum $100 �,.
subsidy to private property owners for diseased tree removal . The '
entire subsidy would be paid by the State.
This type of leg�Slation would support the City policy that Dutch
Elm disease is a State problem and that State monies should be used
for any subsidy program. Any legislation along these lines should
be endor.sed by the City. However� as in plan b. , proposed legislation
is subject to passage by the legislature.
In any of the subsidy programs, a paid bill would probably be required to
receive the subsidy. If the private property owner opted for the City to
remove the tree and assess the costs, the subsidy might be lost. In
addition, provision of a subsidy does not solve the entire problem of
tree removal on private property. At best, it may serve as an incentive but
does not guarantee prompt tree removal .
3. Draw upon the General Revenue Contingency Fund (1976).
These monies would provide the additional funds needed for the 1976
Shade Tree Disease Control Program, $100,000 for the removal of
approximately 400 condemned trees from private property.
There is approximately $1,000,000 in the 1976 General Revenue Contingency
�und. This would allow the City to draw the amount of money necessary
to remove trees on public and private property that were not anticipated
in the 1976 budget.
4. Use General Forestry Funds (Account No. 09105).
The City contribution to the Special Forestry Fund would be used for the
1976 tree removal on public and private prop�erty. It is anticipated that
approximately $100,000 will be required. �70,000 will be drawn from the
Forestry Funds and the remaining $30,000 will be provided by the
Dedicated Dutch Elm Fund.
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B. 1976 Tree Removal (cont'd)
This alternative would allow for flexible use of monies already
budgeted ($443,745) to deal with the need to remove trees on both
public and private property. Tree trimming is the primary activity
which would be affected. If tree trimming crews or monies from this
code were used for removal of diseased trees, the tree trimming that
is done will cost the benefited property owner more. The exact a-
mount would be based on the amount of tree trirr�ning accomplished.
Currently, approximately 50� of the budget is recovered by assessing e+,
for tree trimming costs. Under this proposal , the City will reduce
its contribution to the tree trimning program. Condemned trees re-
moved from private property can be billed and the cost can be recovered.
C. Related Alternatives
1 . Construction of a Wood Recycling Center.
A joint effort of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the
City of Saint Paul to implement a wood recycling center has been pro-
posed as a long range solution to the high cost of diseased wood dis-
posal . Grants are availab1e from the State on a 50/50 match basis.
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are submitting a combined grant request.
Saint Paul 's share of the total cost is $120,000. Possible sources
of matching funds are: ,
a. Draw funds from the Dutch Elm Dedicated Reserve to cover
Wood Recycling Center construction costs.
The Dutch Elm Dedicated Fund and Reserve is $238,877.30. Money
from this fund would be immediately available as match money
for the proposed State grant.
b. E�udget construci:�on co;�1:� �iri t�.he (;�i i�.y'� 1��71 i;��n�,r.;i�l it���i,����
I ncl udi ng the wood recycl i ng center i n the 1971 i�ucigei: wo��l ci '
delay the construction of the facility ur�til 1977. Since f;hc�
cost of wood disposal is a major share of the total cost o�F tree
removal it is desirable to undertake this project as a means
of keeping those costs stable. A delay in City funding would
jeopardize the availability of State funds. .
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c. CIB fund for 1977.
Funding a wood recycling center through the CIB program would re-
sult in the same problems noted above.
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C. Related Alternatives (cont'd)
2. Funding of the Reforestation Program. ($370,000)
Regularly budgeted reforestation funds have been transferred to nec-
essary sanitation and survey operations in 1975 and it is expected
that the same action will be taken in 1976. Suggested sources of
funding are:
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a. . CIB funding (1976) for the reforestation effort.
$160,000 in CIB funding has been requested for tree placements
on public property,primarily boulevards and parks. This will
purchase approximately 1100 trees of mixed species for the
1976 season. If there is no 1976 CIB funding, additional CD
Year II funding will be requested.
b. Community Development funding (1976) for the reforestation
program.
$210,000 has been requested for the replacement of trees on
public property. This will purchase approximately 2500 trees to
be planted during the 1916 season. (See attached grant application)
c. Budget adequate reforestation funds i�n the 1977 operating
' budget.
This will solve the problem of reforestation in 1977. Addition-
al CIB funding for 1977 and CD Year III funds will also be re-
quested:
VI. Recommendat:ions
The following actions are recommended as the most complete and flexible
approaches to the problems facing the Saint Paul Shade Tree Disease Control
program. In addition; these alternatives address the problems with the least
strain upon the total City budget.
It is recommended that:
1 . The City Council implement an assessment policy for tree removal . �
?. th� Ci�y Co�mcil dr�w from th� �utch Flm Dedicated Fund to fund th�
t`�"(tll���fl� ("IqIH1VA� Of �IiS����r,r�l tr�+��s I'r�►m �►Y'IVFI�;(! �►ro����rt,y �Il ���!►�
pruvlellri� �i�»1�+y fur �.hi� al:nrl.u�, �,��,Lr. c►1' nii na�e,nanN,nt �u�11r;y� ('��tl,!��)U)
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VI. Recommendations (cont'd)
3. The 1976 assessment pro ram for tree removal be funded using General
Forestry Funds ($70,000�} and Dutch Elm Dedicated Funds ($30,000).
4. The City Council draw $5,000 from the Dutch Elm Dedicated Fund for tree
removal in cases of extreme hardship.
5. The Wood Recycling Cneter should receive City Council support and
funding as a necessary part of the City's Shade Tree Disease Control
Program. ($120,000)
6. CIB and Community Development Year II funding be committed to the ��
vitally importa�ht reforestation effort. (CD Year II � $210,000)
$87,500 for tree removal (Dutch Elm Dedicated Reserve) estimated 350
trees on private property
120,000 for Wood Recycling Center (Dutch Elm Dedicated Reserve)
$207,500 Total 1975 Expenditure
$100,000 for tree removal and assessment on private property (General
Forestry Fund-$70,000 and Dutch Elm Dedicated Reserve-$30,000)
of an estimated 400 trees.
$210,000 CD Year II funds for 15�0 replacement trees on private property
$160,000 CIB funding for 1100 replacement trees
$470,000 Total 1976 Expenditures
RPP:cm
11/7/75 ,
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