September 26, 2017 - Workshop
The Town of Glen St. Mary held a workshop on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 6:30 P.M. at the Town Hall with Council Member Davis, Councilman Foster, Council Member Hodges, and Councilman Rhynehardt present. Mayor Juanice Padgett presided over the meeting. Council member Davis opened with prayer followed by the flag salute.
The purpose of the workshop was to discuss a tree in the path of the directional boring with the CDBG Grant. The property owners have previously voiced concerns that the tree could be killed after the directional bore and they want the Town to be responsible for removing the tree if it should die. Mayor Padgett told Council the last easement the Town needs to get for the CDBG Grant is that of Mr. Albert and Marie Johns, but they wanted to meet with the Council to ask some questions before giving the easement. Mrs. Marie responded that questions had been answered when Mayor Padgett came by a few days earlier. They were unsure where the lines would run behind their house. Mayor Padgett got the maps out and showed where they were drawn on the engineer’s plans. Mr. Johns stated that five feet from the property line is the center of the tree. Mayor Padgett stated that prior to the previous Council abandoning the alleyways, they were told they couldn’t put water and sewer in the ten foot easement. We are now trying to get the alleyways back to install sewer lines.
Attorney Bense contacted the University of Florida in researching this matter. He was told that if not more than forty percent of the roots are damaged, there is a high level chance of survival. The root system of this type of tree, with the exception of the tap root, should be within one to two feet of the ground surface. The directional bore will be deeper than that. Attorney Bense asked if they were objective to taking down the tree. Mr. and Mrs. Johns told Council that since they had a large limb to fall Monday afternoon on their shed, they are ready to take it down.
Mayor Padgett told Council that she does not have three bids to have the tree removed yet, but will get them before October’s meeting so the Council can vote on it at the next Town Meeting. Mr. Jack Reneau asked that the tree be ground down just below the surface and any ruts be filled in.
Mayor Padgett closed the workshop at 6:40 P.M.