INC NEWS - fallen trees etc

Sun Jul 20 13:34:58 EDT 2008

We all know (most of us anyway) how involved much of the group who will
read this is already. So this is like preaching to the choir. It's the
rest of those who are less involved that need to get the picture. Sure,
some have families they are trying to raise and finding time to much more
just can not happen. Then there are those, who like me, do not have those
time commitments and can do more. Many of you are the same way. Maybe
that's why/how we came to this in the first place. I'd venture to say that
most of us are doing all we can... or we have been doing it for so long
we're burnt out and just need a break.

No one likes more taxes, not everyone has time to get as involved as some
of us are, and it would be hard to imagine that even with double the
staff, all (this is the BIG ALL) of it would get done or noticed. For many
years the Police Department has worked to get community policing to work
as part of "the eyes and ears" of the community. Reporting violations in
erosion, downed trees or power lines, potholes, etc. all need some
additional eyes and ears. Even with all of us looking, we won't see it
all. And as I have come to see it, the City doesn't want the citizenry to
much of anything to help. Mowers, chain saws; any sort of power equipment
is off limits. So about all we can do in our parks for example is dig a
hole (with a shovel), pull weeds, plant flower bulbs, drag limbs, etc.
That's not really much of what needs to be done when it comes to standing
80 year old oaks (or fallen ones...).

Today, Urban Forestry is over on Nebo Street (in the closed Shady Oaks
Park) cutting/cleaning up the debris and removing diseased trees. It's a
Sunday folks! They just came off 72 hours of weekend work over the July 4
holiday weekend just trying to deal with the debris blocking roads that
the freak storm caused. Then tomorrow, just as they did on July 7th (the
Monday after the storm), they'll all come back to work and keep doing what
they've done for the last year; trying to get caught up so the public will
be safe. But it just can't possibly happen. Mother Nature has too far of a
head start and the momentum is just increasing. It's not fair to ask the
guys who are doing this dangerous work to work tirelessly week in and week
out with the end no where in sight. They're already doing three times the
work they once did (because they finally got the equipment to do the work
they are charged to do) and that's why we need to get them some help!
Maybe then we can get to pruning the diseased trees to save a few more;
get to topping out some of our huge trees so they'll make it a few more
years safely; and just trying to get the whole picture we see around us
looking better. Maintenance isn't even a thought at this point! Our green
(or brown as it is becoming at an unparalleled rate) infrastructure is in
trouble and it needs help.

RWP
27 Beverly
>
>
>
>
>
> I think the issue of citizen participation is much bigger than just the
> trees.  For example, I have been in 3-4 conversations lately about erosion
> issues -- folks noticing violations.  I have heard that staff is stretched
> way too thin to catch more than a fraction of the problems without help
> from the public.
>
> On one hand, I hear a lot of folks say, "I pay so much in taxes that
> someone ought to be taking care of this" (complicated by "I would do more
> but I don't see anyone else doing anything so I'm cutting back.").   On
> the other hand, I hear "it's my county / town / neighborhood so of course
> I'm going to take care of it."
>
> So which do we want or what combination or what?
>
> Regards, pat
>
> From: Ken at KenGasch.com
> To: Rkitchin at aol.com; inc-list-request at rtpnet.org; inc-list at rtpnet.org
> Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:56:59 -0400
> Subject: Re: INC NEWS - fallen trees from Rosemarie Kitchin, Falconbridge
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hello
> Rosemarie,
>
> Thank you for suggesting
> this topic.  It is an important one.  Perhaps waiting until next
> month, so that we can invite someone from General Services, would be the
> most
> productive way to proceed.  I will put on the agenda for the executive
> board to discuss.
> Ken Gasch
>
>
>
>
>  -----Original
> Message-----
> From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org
> [mailto:inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org]On Behalf Of
> Rkitchin at aol.com
> Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 7:41
> AM
> To: inc-list-request at rtpnet.org;
> inc-list at rtpnet.org
> Subject: INC NEWS - fallen trees from Rosemarie
> Kitchin, Falconbridge
>
> Good weekend to you all,
>   This
> conversation about falllen trees and the best way to remove them might be
> continued in Tuesday's meeting. Can we put it on the agenda?
>
> Thanks,
>      Rosemarie from
> Falconbridge
>
>
>
> rkitchin at aol.com
> Rosemarie Kitchin
> President
> Kitchin's Ink, Ltd., a deliberately low-profile
> marketing services firm based in Durham
> 6702 Glen Forest Drive
> Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8647
> 919/768-0749
> 919/724-3723 cel
>
>
>
>
>
>
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