Williamsburg Community School Board agrees to cut down trees by playground

District to seek proposals for removal of larger section of trees

WILLIAMSBURG -- To address dead trees surrounding the elementary school playground, members of the Williamsburg Community School Board agreed to immediately remove about five dead trees.

The equipment area in the elementary playground has been closed for safety reasons, past Mirror reports state, as some of those dead trees fell into the playground over the summer.

According to Superintendent Lisa Murgas, Lumber Jax Tree Service in North Huntingdon submitted a bid to remove the dead trees surrounding the elementary school playground for $1,000, which will be taken out of the district's general fund budget.

The board also agreed to advertise a request for proposal for outside vendors to remove a larger section of trees behind the elementary school playground.

She said during Tuesday's meeting that Lumber Jax Tree Service was one of three bidders who each submitted two separate estimates, one to remove the dead trees behind the area and to remove a 40-yard and 600-foot section of trees behind the equipment.

Mike Peiffer, who was present at the meeting, proposed cutting down dead trees for $4,500 and removing the 40-yard and 600-foot section for $25,500. Lofty Heights in Hollidaysburg proposed cutting down dead trees for $3,000 and removing the 40-yard and 600-foot section for $34,200.

Lumber Jax Tree Service offered the board two options when removing the larger section, as the company believes it to be unnecessary to clear the entire wooded section. Instead, they proposed cutting down 40 feet instead of 120 feet because "it is an adequate amount of space for it to control safety," Murgas said.

She said Lumber Jax Tree Service also offered annual inspections free of charge to mitigate potential hazards that may affect student athletes who regularly use the space, such as the district cross country team. That service would cost the district $16,250.

If the board liked the alternative choice provided by Lumber Jax Tree Service, then they would have to give the other companies an opportunity to provide a third estimate, she said.

"Do we want to clear the dead trees and be done with it, or do we want to not clear the dead trees right now and excavate the larger area that is coming in at more than $25,000?" Murgas asked the board.

If interested in removing the larger section, then she said the district will have to advertise for a request for proposal and then invite a forester to inspect the area to determine how many trees to remove.

Board member Billie Jo Greaser asked about moving the playground equipment.

"The playground equipment is about 26 years old," Murgas said. "Sometimes, when you move things like that, then things break and it's very expensive to replace the playground."

Business manager Kalie Zabrosky said replacing the equipment would cost the district $150,000.

Murgas said the board can agree to remove the hazardous dead trees now and advertise a request for proposal, so the board can take more time to make a decision.

"Get the dead ones cut down and let the kids play," board member Jay Detwiler said. He then asked Murgas about clearing the trails for a cross country route.

Board member Adam Hileman agreed to remove the dead trees first and then consult with the cross country team about marking a potential new trail.

"There's no way to move forward until you get the dead stuff down and then have them mark exactly where they want to go so we can decide what to do," he said.

Murgas said Lumber Jax Tree Service could remove the trees in two weeks, but she suggested reaching out to the company again to ask if they can do it sooner due to the upcoming change in weather.

After the meeting, Murgas said the board will hold off on advertising a request for proposal until a forester evaluates the land and gives the board their recommendations.

"Then we'll sit down and take a look at what we want to do, and once we know, we'll put the RFP out, indicating exactly what we want to have done so everybody's bidding the same thing," she said.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.