|
DPW: Environmental Services continued from previous page
<br />ground deficiencies, including surfacing and swings;
<br />repaired numerous basketball and tennis nets; performed
<br />maintenance at the skateboard park; performed landscape
<br />improvements and spring and fall cleanups at various
<br />town sites.
<br />• Sports Fields: Renovated the Diamond baseball field
<br />infield as a coordinated effort with Lexington Little
<br />League, Lexington School Athletics, the Recreation
<br />Department and a general contractor; added the Clarke
<br />Soccer field to the turf management program; renovated
<br />infields at various baseball and softball fields throughout
<br />Town; performed daily ball field maintenance during the
<br />playing seasons; performed synthetic field maintenance at
<br />Lincoln Park; performed turf, drainage, and site amenity
<br />repairs to various soccer fields and ball fields; over - seeded,
<br />fertilized, and limed athletic fields as per the turf mainte-
<br />nance program and field type and use; performed athletic
<br />field layout for school, youth, adult, and Recreation pro-
<br />grams on an overtime basis and performed athletic field
<br />line painting during the spring and fall seasons; construct-
<br />ed and repaired benches; repaired bleachers, backstops,
<br />and fencing; transported goals and nets for various sports
<br />activities and user groups.
<br />• Park Maintenance: Coordinated the turf maintenance
<br />program, which included aeration, overseeding, topdress-
<br />ing, irrigation, and incorporation of integrated pest man-
<br />agement; emptied the recycling barrels at various loca-
<br />tions; installed new benches and repaired benches at vari-
<br />ous locations; painted, repaired, installed, and constructed
<br />picnic tables and trash receptacles throughout the Town's
<br />park system; performed trash pickup at designated sites;
<br />maintained the Minuteman Bikeway; performed mowing
<br />and maintained site amenities, drinking fountains, and
<br />irrigation systems in designated areas; performed mainte-
<br />nance at the Town's basketball and tennis courts; per-
<br />formed rough -cut mowing at conservation areas and road-
<br />sides on a limited basis; performed maintenance on traffic
<br />islands on a limited basis in coordination with the
<br />Lexington Field and Garden Club; assisted with various
<br />special events including Patriots' Day, parades, and
<br />Chamber of Commerce events; assisted with installation
<br />and removal of the planters in the center and East
<br />Lexington; performed other requests for service from
<br />other town departments, boards, commissions, and the
<br />general public; and assisted the Building Maintenance,
<br />Highway, Forestry, and Cemetery Divisions with various
<br />projects.
<br />• DPW Facility: Staff assisted with site preparation to move
<br />Parks and Forestry functions and supplies to the Compost
<br />Facility and Cemetery.
<br />Forestry Division
<br />ROLE: To care
<br />for and preserve
<br />all woody plant
<br />vegetation in
<br />parks, along
<br />streets, and in all
<br />public properties,
<br />Expenditures
<br />Payroll
<br />FY07
<br />FY06
<br />$1721305
<br />$1561437
<br />Expenses
<br />$ 511727
<br />$ 451280
<br />Personnel
<br />Full Time
<br />4
<br />4
<br />with the highest
<br />priority given to emergencies; to provide direct support to
<br />cemetery operations on an as- needed basis; to maintain
<br />approximately 10,000 street trees and all shrub plantings
<br />and trees in parks, playgrounds, cemeteries, traffic islands,
<br />public right -of -ways, conservation land, recreation land, and
<br />school property; to maintain 3,343 streetlights; and to assist
<br />other departments and groups with aerial -lift services.
<br />HIGHLIGHTS:
<br />• General Tree Care: Staff responded to more than 350
<br />requests for service; pruned trees at the cemeteries,
<br />schools, conservation areas, recreation areas (including
<br />the Pine Meadows Golf Course), public grounds areas,
<br />and other locations within the public right -of -way as part
<br />of an ongoing preventive maintenance program.
<br />Responded to requests for clearing foliage- obstructed
<br />streetlights to improve visibility; cleared downed trees and
<br />limbs after snow, ice, rain, and wind storms. Cut back
<br />encroaching trees and shrubs along the Minuteman Bike
<br />Path and other town right -of -ways. Watered trees as
<br />resources permitted; treated 20 trees for pests and disease
<br />(including control for winter moth) and inspected Precinct
<br />9 for hazardous trees as part of a proactive yearly initia-
<br />tive to address hazardous conditions before damage or
<br />injury occurs. Provided oversight of the Tree Bylaw, of
<br />which 539 sites have been reviewed since October 2001.
<br />Of these sites, 428 have been closed out. A total of 647
<br />trees have been approved for removal, with 488 removed
<br />to date. A total of 1,542 new trees are required to be
<br />planted, with 1,103 planted to date. Staff also attended
<br />various educational workshops.
<br />• Administration: One employee received his Massachusetts
<br />Certified Arborist designation and obtained a Pesticide
<br />Applicator's License.
<br />• Tree Pruning: Pruned 58 trees to remove hazards and
<br />improve health, structure, shape, and aesthetics.
<br />• Tree Removal: Removed 134 dead, diseased, damaged, or
<br />otherwise hazardous trees. The majority of the removals
<br />were elm, ash, and maple trees. Ground 21 stumps, added
<br />loam to grade, and seeded the removal sites, where possible.
<br />• Planting: Planted 12 trees, including the Arbor Day tree at
<br />Belfry Hill; a commemorative tree at Lincoln Park; and
<br />trees at various public grounds and right -of -way locations
<br />throughout Town. The trees were funded through local
<br />donations, private funding sources and the program bud-
<br />get. The Tree Revolving Fund contributed $9,042 of the
<br />expense.
<br />continued on next page
<br />2007 Annual Report, Town of Lexington Page 37
<br />
|