Cosmopolis council approves contractor to remove dead park tree, authorizes maintenance fund

The Cosmopolis City Council voted Aug. 21 to hire a contractor to remove a large dead tree at MacGregor (also referred to in the meeting as Wrinkle) Park and authorized using the park's maintenance fund to pay for the work.

Councilmember Darcy presented three written bids for the job and said she had "got 3 bids for it to be taken down," listing Bonnell Tree at $1,030, Coastal Tree at $1,088 and J & L Tree Service at $1,600. Darcy said the tree is rotten, leaning and posed a safety risk near a picnic area and a water spigot. "This is one of those trees that could just collapse on itself because it is rotted," Mayor Springer said, urging the council to treat the situation as a safety matter.

After brief questions about whether power lines were present and whether city staff could safely remove the tree, a motion was made to contract a private tree service for the one-time removal. The council voted in favor. The body then considered a separate motion to permit use of the park maintenance (Macawinkle/MacGregor) fund to pay for the work; the motion carried, though one councilmember voiced opposition during the vote.

The contracting discussion included practical details provided by council members and staff: the selected bid covered full removal, chipping and salvage of firewood material to be delivered to the Lions Club, and disposal of scrap. Council members noted the work would be a single-job contract rather than an ongoing service agreement.

The council asked staff to coordinate scheduling with the contractor and to notify the crew when to access park areas and shut off a nearby water standpipe if needed. Councilmember Darcy said she would contact the chosen tree company to set a date.

The council did not record a roll-call vote listing individual names in the meeting transcript; council minutes and the contract package are expected to document the chosen vendor, final price and scheduled work date.