A Shade Tree Committee for the Borough of Spring Lake is hereby
established.
The Shade Tree Committee shall consist of seven members up to
a maximum of 15 members who shall be residents of the Borough and
who shall be appointed by the Borough Council. The term of each member
of the Shade Tree Committee shall be for one year and members shall
serve for their respective terms and until their successors are appointed
and qualified. The members of the Shade Tree Committee shall be appointed
at the organization meeting of the Borough Council in January of each
year. Vacancies in the membership of the Shade Tree Committee, occurring
for whatever cause, shall be promptly filled by the Mayor.
The members of the Shade Tree Committee shall serve without
compensation.
The members of the Shade Tree Committee shall choose from among
its members a Chairman and such other offices as it may deem necessary.
The Shade Tree Committee shall hold its organizational meeting in
January of each year and elect its officers at the organizational
meeting. The Shade Tree Committee may adopt bylaws and make amendments
to such bylaws from time to time as it may deem necessary.
The duties of the Shade Tree Committee shall be as follows:
A. To exercise, subject to review by the Borough Council, full and exclusive control over the regulation, planting and care of shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery now located or which may hereafter be planted in any public highway, public park or public lands owned or under the jurisdiction of the Borough of Spring Lake, including the planting, trimming, spraying, care and protection thereof. The provisions of this Article do not and shall not be interpreted to delegate any authority to the Shade Tree Committee to enforce any of the provisions of Chapter
356 "Trees" of the Code of the Borough of Spring Lake. The Shade Tree Committee shall only have an advisory role in regard to the provisions Chapter
356 "Trees" of the Code of the Borough of Spring Lake.
B. To move or require the removal of, subject to the approval of the
Borough Council, any tree or part thereof in any public highway, public
park or public lands owned or under the jurisdiction of the Borough
of Spring Lake, that presents a danger to public safety.
C. To encourage the planting of shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery
throughout the Borough of Spring Lake on public and on private property
and to assist the various public boards, bodies and agencies of the
Borough in their efforts with regard to the encouragement of planting
shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery.
D. To prepare, develop and distribute information with respect to the
growing of and care for shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery.
E. To provide for or administer treatment to or provide for the removal
of any trees situate upon private property which are believed to harbor
a disease or insects readily communicable to neighboring healthy trees
in the care of the Borough, and to enter upon private property for
that purpose; provided, however, that the consent of the property
owner is first obtained in writing, and provided further that the
suspected condition is first confirmed by certificate issued by or
on behalf of the appropriate State or Federal agencies.
F. To make annual reports to the Borough Council setting forth therein
and detailing the activities and operations of the Shade Tree Committee
during the preceding 12 months.
There may be appropriated in each annual budget of the Borough
such sum or sums as may be determined by the Borough Council to be
necessary for the proper operation and functioning of the Shade Tree
Committee; and the Committee is authorized, subject to approval of
the Borough Council, to use and expend such funds for such purposes
upon the adoption of the annual budget. All payments for services
rendered to the Shade Tree Committee shall be on standard Borough
vouchers and shall be approved by the Borough Council before payment.