City gets break on ash tree removal

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) -- The city of Fort Wayne is getting a big break in its plans to remove some 4,500 ash trees being killed by an invasive beetle.

The city parks board on Wednesday endorsed a nearly $590,000 contract with Cook's Tree Service of Angola to remove the majority of the remaining 8,000 ash trees from along city streets. Officials had expected the work to cost $1.5 million.

Other companies bid close to that estimate and parks director Al Moll tells The Journal Gazette ( http://bit.ly/LbgPD4 ) that the department checked to make sure Cook's bid was correct.

The emerald ash borer has gutted the ash tree population from a peak of about 14,000 along Fort Wayne's streets. Officials say the new removals could start in August if the City Council approves the contract.
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Information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net