City offers no details on oak removal; owner posts ‘no trespassing’

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The city of Brentwood — via email from Brentwood City Administrator Bola Akande — didn’t share any further details about the city’s removal of a mature oak tree from a resident’s property on Friday, or how the city plans to handle the situation.

Akande responded to an email from 40 South to her and Brentwood Mayor Chris Thornton Sunday night, requesting a response or explanation about the city’s removal of resident Doug Gruder’s tree.

Akande’s response was: “a meeting has been scheduled with the resident and his Alderpersons. Both his Alderpersons met with him over the weekend.” Gruder’s Ward 2 aldermen are Sunny Sims and Brandon Wegge.

 

 

In the meantime, Gruder has posted a ‘no trespassing’ sign on the remains of the tree, and stated in an email to Akande, Thornton, his aldermen, Brentwood Chief of Police Dan Fitzgerald, and others, including 40 South, that no one from Davey Tree, Brentwood Parks and Recreation, Brentwood Public Works or anyone hired by the city of Brentwood is to take a step on his property until the matter is mutually resolved in writing.

No trespassing sign posted by Doug Gruder on the stump of the tree in his front yard. photo courtesy Doug Gruder

 

8 COMMENTS

  1. Posted to the Brentwood Community Facebook page

    John Nuernberger was asked to post this by the City of Brentwood regarding the Oak Tree Removal Meeting today

    Alderpersons Brandon Wegge and Sunny Sims, Peter Van Linn, Parks Operations Superintendent and I met with Doug Gruber today for approximately two hours in the City Administrator’s office.

    There was no malice to cause Mr. Gruber harm or distress with the removal of a City tree located in a city easement and/or right-of-way. The tree after an assessment by the City certified Arborist and a contracted certified arborist, was deemed to be in poor condition, hazardous and posed a liability to the City if it were allowed to remain standing. The tree was losing its canopy, declining, had borer damage, branch and trunk rot, tip dieback, hazard limbs, and loose bark. The tree was recommended for removal as it was in poor condition and posed a liability for the City.

    There was a communication breakdown. The door hanger, and tag on the tree as requested and called for in the city contract by the contractor was never done. To complicate matters, the letter mailed to multiple residents on Urban were all delivered with the exception of the one mailed to Mr. Gruber. An apology was issued to Mr. Gruber. Better care should have been given to his property. The City will rectify this with the contractor. Mr. Gruber agreed to provide the City with a list of how in his opinion the remainder of the tree and other fixes to his property will be completed. Furthermore, he should not have had to pay for maintenance on a City tree, therefore the City will explore ways to rectify this. Mr. Gruber like all residents will have an opportunity when his tree is replaced to meet with City staff to choose the replacement tree.

    The rest of the meeting was spent brainstorming on how best City staff will work with Alderpersons Wegge and Sims to develop a revised process for communicating to residents. For instance, not only will the City continue to require the contractor place door hangers at the residents’ house, and place a bright and/or neon tag on the tree(s) to be removed, the City will also send letters by certified mail. The City will extend the number of days by which a resident should call the City to further discuss removal of trees. The list of trees scheduled for removal will be placed on the website, NextDoor, the City website and The Pulse.

    Thank you.

    Bola Akande, City Administrator
    City of Brentwood | 2348 S. Brentwood Boulevard, Brentwood, Missouri 63144
    314.962.4800 City Number | 314.962.0819 Fax |

    • To all of my Neighbors, Residents, and Concerned Citizens From Doug Gruder:

      Tomorrow night at 7:00 is the first Board of Aldermen’s meeting for 2017. I have received so many emails and comments showing concern, sentiment, care, and empathy in terms of what happened to MY OAK TREE . Thank you all for reaching out.

      What happened on my property could have happened to anyone of us!!! What happened to me effects all of us. What our City did on the 23rd they did to all of us who live, take pride and care of their properties, and pay taxes.

      A lot of you have asked me the question of how can I help?? Please help by showing up at City Hall on Tuesday Night at 7:00 and voice your opinions, cares, and concerns! After all… This is your City too.These are our neighborhoods and our properties! Please show up, get up and voice your opinions and show that you care!

      Thank you!

      Doug Gruder

      • Brentwood Board Of Aldermen’s Meeting at 7:00. Please be there to express your concerns over the City’s handling of our Trees.

  2. Yes, Doug. You are providing a valuable service to the people of Brentwood. Few things are more important to property owners than property rights, and this incident has left us unnerved.

  3. Ironic thing is, at least in my experience dealing with them-
    If they send you one of these letters, and you call them immediately and let them know you won’t cowtow to the power of the city letter, they’ll back down. It’s easy to sit in your office and rule by decree, but when the ruled start to kick, it’s then easier to let the whole thing drop. I had a somewhat similar situation years ago where they ordered me to remove a large tree which sat on the intersection of 4 lots. When I asked the city guy how they decided it was my responsibility, he said they “eyeballed the fences”. I laughed at him and told him to come back with a survey. That was the end of the matter.

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