Ordinance-Driven EBR Parish Tree Commission Has Been Inactive for Two Years

Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 11:31 PM
To: 'council-dist12@brgov.com'
Subject: EBR Parish Tree Commission is Inactive

Spoke by phone yesterday with S.Shurtz / DPW arborist.  The EBR Tree Commission, created by ordinance in 1991, has been “inactive for several years now”.  By design, it has basically no authority, serves only as an advocacy organization.  S.Shurtz mentioned the commission members largely all quit in protest a few years ago.  He indicated the commission may no longer be needed because we have an active independent advocacy group, Baton Rouge Green.  I disagree. We need an advocacy group not associated with special interests, with members serving for specified terms.

I spoke with two former commission members.  Both expressed frustrations with their former roles.  They mentioned a litany of problems: difficult to get all commission members to attend meetings, difficult to gain the ear of the Mayor, Mayor would not appoint commission member vacancies, MetroCouncilmen not receptive to commission recommendations, difficulty in putting proper city ordinances in place, no MetroCouncil support. 

Do you support the existence of an EBR Tree Commission?  If this group was put in place via city-parish ordinance, how can it remain in an inactive state for years…especially during implementation of the Mayor’s Green Light Projects?