RINGTOWN - Safety concerns have prompted the borough to cut down a row of evergreens this week along West Cherry Street near the former elementary school.
Workers from B&B Tree Service and Land Clearing, Berwick, began the job Monday of removing more than 20 trees. Others will be cut down on the opposite side of the school property, as well as some near a road project along Apple Street.
"We'll be here for about a week working on the trees," said B&B owner Timothy Babb, who was working with two employees using a chain saw to remove branches, which were put into a wood chipper.
The former Ringtown Area Elementary School was closed by the North Schuylkill School District at the end of the 2008-09 school year, with Ringtown area students transferred to the elementary school in Fountain Springs. On Dec. 1, 2010, the school district officially transferred the elementary school, outdoor activity areas and connected property to the borough in accordance with a long-standing agreement between the two entities.
The building had been the Ringtown High School, which was owned by the borough. When the North Schuylkill School District was formed, the district and borough entered into an agreement transferring the property to the school district for use as an elementary school. However, the agreement included a reverter clause that if the property was no longer used for education by the district, the ownership would return to the borough.
According to Ringtown Borough Council President Julian Milewski, local property owners have raised concerns about the trees since the borough took possession of the property.
"We've had complaints for about two years from people who live on Main Street who have garages along Cherry Street," said Milewski, an employee of The Republican-Herald.
"When the property was transferred to us, it was a matter of budgeting before the trees fell on something," Milewsi said. "It's strictly a safety issue. You can see how they are leaning toward the adjoining properties. Evergreens have ball roots, which don't go down deep, and if you get enough wind and rain and they can fall, and some of them are tipped to a 30-degree angle and I think they lean a little bit more every year."
The buildings along Cherry Street are garages, but because some of the trees are up to 50 feet tall, they could strike homes if they fell.
"Some of the houses are built out midway onto their properties. Some of those trees are tall enough they could whack the house, too, let alone the garage," he said. "Almost all of them lean that way. The roots of the trees have grown into the right-of-way of the road. They're heaving the road."
The maple trees to be removed on the opposite side of the school are at the playground and overhang the building.
"The leaves are getting into the gutters, which were becoming overloaded and falling off the building," Milewski said. "We're also doing a paving project on Apple Street where there are trees that are actually growing on the road. You can't pave it if there are trees in way."
Milewski said it will cost about $4,000 to remove the trees at the school and Apple Street.
"I know people like them, but what happens when someone gets injured?" Milewski said. "If we damage a garage, then the borough's on the hook because our tree came down."
