The Solebury Township supervisors on Tuesday agreed to pay $193,478 to chop down 888 insect-infected trees in Aquetong Spring Park.
“I wish the price wasn’t so high. On the other hand I wish the Eagles would have won the Super Bowl,” said Vice Chair John Francis.
Axing of the dead and dying trees becomes necessary due to the damage caused the the spotted lantern fly and the ash borer.
The axing is only the first stage of reforestation plans for the 45-acre park, emphasized Francis, who was sitting in for the absent Chair Mark Baum Baicker.
The planting of new trees not targeted by insects will start as soon as the area is cleared, said Dennis Carney, township manager. There is $50,000 in the township budget to start the on-going project, he added.
The tree removal contract went to low bidder M. Dobron and Sons Excavating of Point Pleasant.
It includes $172,478 for removals and $21,000 for grinding and chipping the trees, said Robert Wynn, township engineer.
Wynn aded that the insects would not stay in the chipped wood because they only infect live trees.
Carney said the removals at the park at Route 202 and Lower Mountain Road will start in the next few weeks, depending on the weather. The contractor has four months to complete the job, he added.
In other business, the board:
– Appointed Michael McKenna to the park and recreation board. McKenna is the principal of the New Hope-Solebury Upper Elementary School.
– Accepted the resignation of Christopher Caputo from the planning commission. Last month Caputo was named to the zoning hearing board.
– Unanimously agreed to place parking for Aquetong Spring Park behind the existing house, leading the front as an unobstructed entrance to the park.
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