Rant. Darn City.

I've been after the city to remove a dead elm tree for several years. It's heaved the sidewalks, and has been a hazard for a long time. About 10 years ago, I had to have Consumers Energy cut some branches that were in my electrical wires, and causing my power to flicker. By the time they finally got around to it, the branches were causing the wires to shower sparks and smoke. The city marked the tree for removal back in July, with a red spray painted circle. This morning, the wind took a huge dead branch out of the elm. The branch completely destroyed my redbud tree. It took the entire top out of the redbud. I loved that tree. It was just gorgeous in the spring. I'm so angry right now. If the city had removed the tree two years ago when I asked, or even last July, August or last month, when I asked, my redbud would still be fine. I'm going to call my insurance company in the morning, as well as the city. I want the city to remove the elm, remove my destroyed redbud, and replace my redbud. I'm furious!!! Oh, and now the elm branches are tangled up in my electrical wires again. I just called Consumers to come remove it. I took a bunch of pictures to document the damage, just in case Consumers has to remove the redbud or elm branch.

Wow, I would be fuming too!! I hope you can get them to pay for a new tree, they certainly should!!

Here's what's left of my poor redbud tree. Consumers is here right now, getting the elm branch out of the power lines. I would think that since the elm tree in question is in the city owned outlawn, the city should be responsible for any damage it has caused. (I just hope that they will remove and replace my redbud. I planted it 18 years ago, when I moved in this house.)

Poor tree! Dumb city! to you. that you are able to stick it to the city to replace your redbud. Even so, losing an 18 year old tree because of that kind of stupidity is infuriating.

This is my opinion.

Get an arborist to look at the redbud tree. This is a good time (believe it or not) for damage to have occurred as the tree is going dormant for the year. I'm thinking the main leader was damaged? It may be salvagable but I would only let a licensed arborist touch it.

Your insurance might or might not cover it. When we had a wind shear 4 years ago I called our homeowners insurance and our tree loss was not covered and tree loss would only be covered when a structure was involved.

The utility company doesn't seem very good at all on tree maintenance. When the trees in the utility line's domain they trim back to a certain point as the company only trims every 3-5 years. But that being said we had several more dead elms to be topped or sawed down (we do the rest) the tree service comes fairly quickly to do this not several months!! Or years!!

If you need any more info on trying to save your redbud let me know.