Parks board vote buys time to find hardship funding for ash tree removal
A tree in the Harrison neighborhood displayed telltale signs of emerald ash borer. Photo by David Pierini
By David Pierini, Editor
The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board will temporarily hold off on levying property assessments for the costs of mandated tree removals until officials can exhaust a search for funding solutions to help cash-strapped residents.
The resolution delaying the tax levy comes after months of pressure from North Minneapolis activists and residents, many on fixed incomes, who criticized the forestry department for its aggressive approach to removing trees infested with emerald ash borer.
“For me, it is a small victory,” said artist and activist Amoke Kubat, who has organized Northsiders financially impacted by ash tree orders. “We got their attention, we’ve got eyes and ears on this and the community is rolling up their sleeves. Good intentions are not good enough. We need some physical action on this. This system is broken.”
Commissioners voted 7-2 to postpone assessments for tree costs until Oct. 4. Board President Meg Forney, who joined Commissioner Steffanie Musich in casting no votes, told board members she was afraid of giving residents false hope that funds could be found.
Despite efforts by the board to lobby lawmakers this legislative session, spending bills did not provide funding specifically for needy homeowners. There is potential for federal relief funds recently awarded to the Department of Natural Resources. The board would have to go through a grant application process, which offers little to people already billed.
Staff told commissioners it is unlikely funding will be made available to provide relief for those who already incurred tree removal costs.
President Pro Tempore Alicia Smith, one of the seven who supported the delay, urged staff to keep trying to find hardship funding.
“An ounce of hope goes a long way,” said Smith, who co-sponsored the resolution. “Right now, our community is devastated by real life choices that they’re making each and every day. This is not a false hope, it is saying we are exhausting every option we know how and if we come up short, at least we go down swinging.”
Some fixed income residents felt blind-sided by the condemnation orders and were upset over tree removal bills that ranged from $2,500 to $6,000. The park board gives residents the option to spread the costs over five, 10 or 20 years on their property taxes with interest.
Once a tree is condemned residents have 60 days to find their own service or indicate they are not able to pay. Do nothing and a service can show up to remove the tree.
“(The resolution) is going to encourage us to create those systems with the city and collaborate with the county to see if we can provide some relief to homeowners in difficult situations,” said District 1 Commissioner Billy Menz, right. Photo by David Pierini
The Harrison Neighborhood Association ran out of a special fund helping homeowners. One non-profit organization, Metro Blooms, paid one man’s back taxes that grew after he had a tree condemned and removed.
After months of complaints, parks board officials held listening sessions with residents in April. During one meeting, the state’s equity chief said she would bring the issue to the attention of Gov. Tim Walz. At other meetings, representatives from the city and the Department of Natural Resources offered feedback.
Emerald ash borer was first discovered in the Twin Cities around 2010 and is currently concentrated in North Minneapolis, where hundreds of trees have either been removed or marked for removal. The ash borer is a shiny beetle that lays eggs in the ash tree. The larvae feast on a layer of the tree that transports water and nutrients to the tree.
While treating healthy trees is possible, forestry officials say removing infested trees is critical to preventing further spread. The longer a dying tree sits, the more expensive it can be to remove, forest officials say.
Forestry staff will continue to identify, mark and condemn trees for removal. The delay also buys time for residents to hire a tree service, which is often cheaper than those on contract with the parks board.
District 1 Commissioner Billy Menz hoped the resolution would spark possible partnerships with the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and other entities to assist homeowners. Currently, the city offers a zero interest loan for eligible homeowners that could be used to remove a condemned tree.
“I don’t know that we can be responsible for this but (the resolution) is going to encourage us to create those systems with the city and collaborate with the county to see if we can provide some relief to homeowners in difficult situations.”