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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Hi Shelley:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">You point out an important issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Let me share with you how we addressed it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I went to the Director of Operations for our local hydro utility and made a business case for becoming his “line clearing” contractor; 25 years later we are still in partnership with Oakville Hydro.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">This past January, the two of us co-presented at the Electrical Distribution Information Systems and Technology Conference in Markham:
<a href="https://secure2.eda-on.ca/imis15/CASE/EDIST/Conference_Program/CASE/EDIST/Conference_Program.aspx?hkey=30d68888-3ee9-46bd-9c81-7736b5aff109">
https://secure2.eda-on.ca/imis15/CASE/EDIST/Conference_Program/CASE/EDIST/Conference_Program.aspx?hkey=30d68888-3ee9-46bd-9c81-7736b5aff109</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I was impressed with the hydro companies that came up to us afterwards and said how much they desire a similar relationship with their local municipality. Seems they don’t like being criticized by their customers
either.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Food for thought.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Call me if you want to discuss.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">All the best,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">John<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> smamemberelist@sma.memberclicks.net [mailto:smamemberelist@sma.memberclicks.net]
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 12, 2015 7:45 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> John McNeil<br>
<b>Subject:</b> SMA Member E-List Hydro topping<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Good morning,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are two issues that I am currently dealing with and would dearly appreciate help/advice with. They are a bit complicated so I will send them out in two separate e-mails because they are a bit lengthy, I’m afraid.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are in a struggle with our local hydro utility over the issue of topping. It was a practice they stopped many years ago when a forester with an urban forestry appreciation was hired to run their line clearing operations but was initiated
again when a new forester took over recently. The rationale for returning to the practice is that it allows homeowners (generally in the rural areas) time to plant trees on their own properties which will grow large enough to provide screening by the time
the utility returns to remove the topped ones in 7-10 years. The trees involved are generally conifers and we are opposed to this practice for the obvious arboricultural reasons but for a number of other reasons as well. There are hundreds of these trees
on municipal ROW’s that were planted by homeowners and allowing them to be topped would give the impression that the City condones this practice. It took us years to educate the public as to why topping is bad and this would set us back a couple of decades.
Another reason is that if a 7-10 year line clearing cycle cannot be attained, this opens the City up to liability for trees that are dying or growing limbs that can be climbed by kids which are within proximity to the wires.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have instructed Hydro to not top trees on City-owned property but one of our city councilors has put forward a resolution to allow them to do so. I can understand why homeowners are upset about the removal of their screens but we feel
that we cannot condone this practice, even in the short term. I now have to write a report to Council explaining the rationale of why we expect trees to be removed rather than topped.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Has anyone gone through a similar situation? I welcome any advice you can provide, even if you disagree with our position. Thanks.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Shelley<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">Shelley Vescio RPF<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">City Forester<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">City of Thunder Bay Parks Division<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">111 Syndicate Ave. South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">Thunder Bay, ON<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">P7E 6S4<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">work (807) 625-2473<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">fax (807) 625-3258<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-CA"><a href="http://www.thunderbay.ca/urbanforestry">www.thunderbay.ca/urbanforestry</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The information contained in this email message may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any
review, dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and delete the message and any attachments.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"">Society of Municipal Arborists | P.O. Box 641 | Watkinsville, Georgia 30677 | United States<br>
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<a href="mailto:smamemberelist@urban-forestry.com?subject=Unsubscribe"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="8" height="8" id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://data.memberclicks.com/images/icons/delete.gif"></span>Unsubscribe</a>
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<b><font color="#808080"><font color="#808080"><font color="#808080"><br>
<span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; ">John McNeil</span><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; ">, RPF</span><br>
</font></font></font></font></b><b><font color="#808080"><font color="#808080"><font color="#808080"><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; ">Manager</span><span style="font-family:Arial; ">, Forestry Services</span><br>
<span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; ">Parks and Open Space</span></b><br>
<font face="Arial">Town of Oakville<font size="2" face="Arial"> <font size="3">| </font></font></font><b><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; font-weight: normal; ">905-845-6601</span></b><font face="Arial">,
</font><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; ">ext.3395</span><font size="2" face="Arial"> <font size="3">|</font>
</font><span style="font-family:Arial; font-size:small; ">f: 905-338-4227 |</span><font size="2" face="Arial">
</font><a href="http://www.oakville.ca/"><u><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#0000ff"><font color="#0000ff"><font face="Arial">www.oakville.ca</font></u></font></font></font></a></font></font></font><font color="#808080" size="2"><font color="#808080" size="2"><font color="#808080" size="2">
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