Hyltons offer to pay $20K for tree work
A borough couple is willing to spend $20,000of their own money to help remove and replace dead trees.
POTTSTOWN » Borough council will vote Monday whether to allow Thomas Hylton to remove and replace 16 street trees, trim eight more and remove 21 stumps at a cost of more than $20,000.
The work will be done primarily on Beech, North Charlotte, North Hanover, High and King streets.
That cost will be borne by Hylton and his wife Frances at no cost to borough taxpayers.
The street tree work will be undertaken by the Davey Tree Expert Co. under the direction of a certified arborist, according to an email Hylton sent to Interim Borough Manager Justin Keller on Jan. 2.
Although all the trees and stumps in question are in the public right-of-way, and thus do not require the permission of the property owners, Hylton told council at the Jan. 2 meeting that he will send letters to the property owners ahead of time.
The letters will outline the work, and include a phone number and email address for anyone with concerns to contact Hylton.
The proposal mirrors one on which council acted last year, allowing Hylton to remove 32 dead street trees, 36 stumps and plant 48new trees at a cost of more than$40,000 — money borough taxpayers did not have to spend.
Hylton, who was voted out of office as a member of the Pottstown School board in November, was the chairman of the former Pottstown Shade Tree Commission until it was disbanded by council in 2010.