Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced a plan to significantly lower the cost that homeowners and communities must bear to remove dead and dying landscape trees caused by the exotic pest Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Using the state's contract system as a vehicle for pooling demand and generating lower prices, both communities and homeowners in Michigan's 13-county EAB quarantined area should receive economic relief.
The initiative was unveiled at an EAB-infested park in the city of Wayne by the Governor's EAB Policy Director Patricia Lockwood, Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Dan Wyant and Department of Management and Budget (DMB) Director Mitch Irwin.
?This invasive pest has had a devastating impact in Michigan, as well as on individual homeowners and communities who are facing tremendous tree removal costs," Granholm said. ?This innovative program offers those most impacted by EAB a much-needed and affordable avenue for removing these trees."
?The state, local and industry cooperation demonstrated through a program like this is an integral component of the state's overall response efforts and will provide an important service to communities hit hard by EAB in the state's known infested areas," Lockwood added.
Wyant explained that until now the state has been largely unable to help assist with tree removal in ?core" EAB counties due to limited and constrained resources, as well as the need to focus on the priorities of detection and containment.
?We recognize the financial hardship EAB has placed upon homeowners and local governments," he said. ?We are very pleased to offer this program, which is just one step in a growing partnership to aid homeowners and communities while fighting this destructive pest."
?This program shows that with a little ingenuity, and a lot of collaboration, we can collectively cut costs, while better serving the needs of our citizens," Irwin said. ?The state looks forward to partnering with community leaders to make this effort a success."
Under the plan, the state will be a facilitator for local communities who want to enter into a contract for tree removal. By establishing standard pricing, the state expects the contracts to provide homeowners and communities with a more affordable rate for complete landscape tree removal. Complete removal includes cutting the tree down, grinding the stump and disposing/transporting all tree materials safely and properly. The state contract will also apply to the removal of all types of trees ? not just ash.
The voluntary program will be available to the county, township, city and village governments in the following counties: Genesee, Ingham, Jackson, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Shiawassee, Washtenaw and Wayne.
Some specifics of the program are:
HOMEOWNERS: Only local units of government may access the program on behalf of homeowners. Homeowners should avoid contacting local officials until the end of the year to allow communities time to assess whether they will participate and/or to complete enrollment.
LOCAL OFFICIALS: Training sessions will be held by MDA and DMB to advise local officials on how best to: implement the state's contract criteria; create a work plan for the contractor; and receive and account for fees paid by the property owner for removal of their trees.
VENDORS: An Invitation to Bid (ITB) #071I5200024, as well as registration necessary for participation, is available at www.michigan.gov/dmb. All vendors are required to attend a pre-bid meeting on October 26, 2004, to be eligible to bid on the contracts. The mandatory meeting will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Wixom Community Center, located at 49045 Pontiac Trail. Vendors who do not attend the meeting will not be permitted to bid. Bids must be submitted to DMB no later than 3 p.m. on November 9, 2004. Contracts are expected to be in place and available by December 1, 2004.
For more information on the program, please visit these pages:
EAB Tree Removal Eligible Counties Map Tree Removal Assitance FAQ's
For EAB information in general, visit the Michigan Department of Agriculture's website, as well as www.emeraldashborer.info.
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