Fiscal Note
The Parks Division's 2013 Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation Capital Project (810766) includes $350,000 of funding for chemical treatments ($335,000) and replacement trees ($15,000). It also required that "After July 1, any remaining chemical treatment funding may be reallocated for the purchase of related equipment or for additional preemptive removals, subject to approval of the Common Council by separate resolution for either action." Of the $350,000 in the 2013 Capital Budget, $220,000 was reauthorized to 2014. Current plans for the remaining $130,000 of expenditure authority are to purchase replacement trees, a tower truck and provide staff training. This resolution authorizes the expenditure of $130,000 for these purposes. There is no impact upon the tax levy, as funding has already been authorized by the Council to this project.
Title
Amending the 2013 Parks Division Capital Budget to authorize the expenditure of Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation project funding for the purchase of equipment and staff training.
Body
WHEREAS, The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an exotic pest from Asia that has already been responsible for the death of over 30 million ash trees in the United States and Canada; and
WHEREAS, the City of Madison has been working on how to mitigate the impact the EAB has on the more than 21,000 terrace ash trees, numerous ash trees in parks and other City owned land, and many thousands on private property; and
WHEREAS, the Emerald Ash Borer Taskforce was created to assess the EAB threat, plan various response strategies, and review the latest research on EAB; and
WHEREAS, the Emerald Ash Borer Taskforce have extensively studied this issue and have authored a Report that includes recommendations for managing EAB within the City of Madison; and
WHEREAS, the Common Council accepted the Emerald Ash Borer Taskforce report and adopted the recommendations included therein on September 18, 2012; and
WHEREAS, the 2013 Adopted Parks Division Capital Budget includes $350,000 in funding for the Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation project with the stipulation that any expenditure other than chemical treatment beyond the $15,000 allocated for preemptive removal and replacements would require additional authorization from the Common Council; and
WHEREAS, the purchase of an additional tower truck and staff training will better prepare the City for the arrival of EAB.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the 2013 Parks Division Adopted Capital Budget be amended by authorizing the expenditure of up to $130,000 for the purchase of equipment and staff training in preparation for the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer.