Richmond trees are the center of controversy

Richmond resident Tripp Wilson is angered by the recent trimming of trees on the Grace Lutheran Church property across from the grade school. He wrote a published letter to the Report claiming that Dave Heuer, who maintains the cemetery grounds, trimmed the oak trees too aggressively. Heuer responded with his own letter that challenged Wilson’s statements.

Wilson sent two letters to the Report regarding the trimming of oak trees at the cemetery. The trees are on the church’s property but they overhang the cemetery boundaries and drop leaves and debris.

Wilson claims that Dave Heuer “butchered” oak trees by doing excessive trimming. He accused the cemetery board of “spending your tax dollars to whack a bunch of trees, and not accept responsibility for doing it.”

Heuer wrote his own letter to the Report to refute Wilson’s statements. He said, “I made just seven cuts, 1 to 4 inches.” About the cemetery board Heuer said, “The 10 oak trees I would be trimming were on the property on the church lot.”

Wilson contends that Heuer has a no-bid contract with the county to maintain the cemetery grounds. “This is a no bid contract,” stated Wilson. “No landscape contractors in Richmond Township or anywhere else are allowed to bid on this contract.”

Heurer said, “I saved the cemetery fund over $9,000 over the last 10 years…..I do not get rich doing this.” Heuer said he maintains all of Richmond Township’s  four cemeteries since 1994.

Wilson said that his wife was subject to harassment by Heuer. However, Heuer claims that he was harassed by Wilson’s wife and another lady.

A village trustee who does not want to be identified received an anonymous letter that contained Heuer’s letter to the editor and also personal real estate tax information. The letter had no return address. Other residents received anonymous letters with copies of only Heuer’s newspaper letter.

At the last village board meeting trustee Dan Deters introduced the subject of annexing the cemetery into the village. President Kevin Brusek asked the village attorney to check into the matter.

Wilson said that if the cemetery is annexed the village can then control tree cutting and preserve the tree heritage. “Most communities have tree ordinances,” said Wilson. “Tree trimming has been challenged in the courts. In some communities with tree ordinances homeowners can prune and trim trees but they are restricted to 25% pruning for the health of trees. Oak tree pruning needs to be researched.”