Attacking the ash

The roar of chainsaws may become a familiar sound in Everly during the coming year.

The city council on Monday agreed to start budgeting money to pay for the removal of ash trees on city-owned property throughout town. Members felt it was important to get a plan in place due to the emerald ash borer, which has been confirmed in 97 of Iowa's 99 counties.

"We need to be thinking about that coming our way," said Mayor Ron Thompson. "It's here, it's out at Scharnberg Park and it's around our area."

EAB was confirmed in Spencer in the spring of 2022. The invasive green pest is expected to lay waste to Iowa's ash tree population in the coming years; however, property owners can pay for pesticide treatments on ashes that they wish to keep.

The city council in 2022 agreed to treat two ash trees at the park and water tower. Members on Monday weren't in favor of doing that to other ashes along streets and other locations, instead expressing interest in removing them outright.

"Do we want to make a huge investment into trees and still potentially lose them?" asked Council Member Shaun Iske. "Maybe we [cut down] 50 trees and people won't notice. I don't know."

Members emphasized that the city will only be taking down trees on city-owned property like those located in rights-of-ways once removal begins. The council will look to budget for the expense next year.

The council was in favor of replanting different species of trees where ashes are removed. City Clerk Kristi Fliss said grants are available to assist with expenses associated with replanting; however, none are offered to help with removal costs.

In a report to the council last year, former street superintendent Nate Fitzgerald counted more than 100 ash trees on city-owned property. Removal of ash trees on private land is the property owner's responsibility.

Once in a community, the beetle wreaks havoc in relatively short manner. The adult beetles feed on ash leaves, causing very little damage. It is the cumulative damage by larval feeding on the inner bark that eventually kills ash trees. The feeding cuts off the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients to the canopy, typically killing a tree within two to four years.

EAB is the No. 1 threat to North American ash trees. Originally from Asia, it traveled across the ocean and was first discovered in Michigan in 2002. Experts believe the bugs hid in wood packing material or other shipping containers.

• Four-way stop to be installed

In other business, the council agreed to install a four-way stop at the intersection of Harrison and East Third Street.

Resident Brandon Hansen requested the council consider changing signage at the intersection, which sits adjacent to his residence. He said he has witnessed many motorists "drag racing" down the street at speeds well over 30 mph and was worried there would be an accident without added traffic controls.

"There is nothing slowing them down when they're traveling east and west," he said. "We have a lot of young kids in the neighborhood now and a lot of people with grandkids visiting."

The council agreed the intersection poses a potential safety issue. Two yield signs on Harrison at the north and south side of the intersection are the only things controlling traffic right now.

"We have yield signs all over town and people just blow right through them," said Council Member Tara Patrick.

"I don't think yield signs are going to be effective," said Iske.

Hansen originally requested removing the existing yield signs and replacing them with stop signs on the east and west sides. After brief discussion, the council went one step further.

"I think if we're going to do anything, we should just make it four [stop signs] right away," Patrick said. "We have kids riding all over and it scares me. I sit out on my porch and have seen some near misses several times."

The council unanimously agreed to have City Attorney Dennis Cmelik draft an ordinance to implement the four-way stop.

• Generator being installed

Fliss reported the city's new generator is in the process of being installed. It was purchased for $36,390.77 with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The council was interested in adding the generator to the Hap Ketelsen Community Center so there could be a central location with electricity during emergency situations, like natural disasters.

Thompson said the city should sketch out a plan with a chain of command and designated responsibilities for natural disaster situations. The matter will be discussed at future meetings.