Verona Observer 6-18-2009, page 4

The following is a letter co-written by me that was recently publish in The Verona Observer:

EDITOR:
Since the reconstruction of sidewalks and curbs on Morningside Road began, in early May, many of us, as well as other residents, contacted our town leaders and representatives to urge that the code protecting our trees be strictly enforced.

In addition, on June 9, seven residents attended the Shade Tree Commission meeting to complain about the violation of code in the removal of 12 mature trees on Morningside Road due to such renovations. A few days later your editorial “Laws that Make Sense” appeared, urging the dismantling of this very code.

We do not believe that getting rid of good codes is the proper response to their violation. Your editorial claims it is “a sense of antiquity that is the driving force behind allowing these old rules to exist”. In fact, it is the exact opposite: enforcing and preserving these codes will show that Verona is in step with the current national and global climate, which promotes “green” practices and a respect for the natural environment.

What exactly will be gained by getting rid of a code that prevents contractors, utility companies and private individuals from doing irreversible and irresponsible damage to our trees? What harm exactly is done by requiring that all changes to our public trees be reviewed by the Shade Tree Commission, which exists for that very purpose? How can the Shade Tree Commission do their job protecting public property without any authority?

We demand that the current codes are not senselessly cut down in the same way that our trees were.

Laura Morowitz
Gloria Machnowski
Verona