Tree Removal Will Precede Field Fence Construction

Borough officials made the decision this week to have the two trees, which currently lean right up against the fence along the Franklin side of , removed when the new decorative fence is put up.

Borough Engineer Ken Job reported Tuesday the borough is set to go out for  proposals for the new decorative fence and needed guidance on what to do with the trees. He explained that when the borough, it had been agreed upon at that time the trees would have to come down. However with the decorative fence it may have been possible to construct around them, he said.

Overall he recommended it’d be best if the trees came down. DPW Superintendent Bill Spindler suggested the same, pointing out the trees are basically pushing right up against the existing fence. He said public service will need to be involved in the removal of the trees due to their proximity with the high voltage wires on the nearby poles. Spindler said he already reached out to them about it and it is in the pipeline.

Although officials said there had been some people in the neighborhood who had hoped the trees would remain, they were in agreement that they had to do what would be best for the majority. Councilman Justin DiPisa said the trees don’t really provide any shade and didn’t believe anyone would have a real problem with them coming down.

This project is something that has been discussed several times over the past year.after learning this past April that residents no longer wanted a fence with a design that would have masked the view of the field. The planned fence will have the same black iron look just like the decorative fence that sits along the Oldfield avenue side of the field.

No time frame was given this week as to when the project will begin but previously it was reported that it would begin over the summer.