READING., Pa. – Reading City Council voted Monday night to award a contract for a city-wide tree master plan to F.A. Bartlett Tree Experts, Birdsboro.
The $82,542 contract is being funded through a grant that was awarded to the public works department.
The grant was awarded to the city in accordance with Reading’s 2021 Climate Action Plan regarding the importance of expanding the city’s urban tree canopy as a strategy for reducing urban heat island effects, improving public health, managing stormwater, enhancing biodiversity and sequestering carbon.
The plan will serve as a strategic, inclusive and actional roadmap to guide tree-related policies, investments, and stewardship across the city.
Kyle Zeiber, public works director, said the master plan will include a tree inventory of the entire city.
“It will identify a lot of different areas that need to be improved through a tree inventory and make maps and a priority list of what needs to be trimmed, what needs to be planted, and what needs to be removed,” Zeiber said.
Zeiber estimated it will take about one year to complete the master plan.
In other business, council voted to:
Authorize the purchase of a new police emergency response patrol vehicle from Costars vendor Tom Masano Ford, Shillington, $72,684.22 from the Capital Budget. The vehicle will replace one that was lost in a recent accident.Remove James Cole from the Environmental Advisory Council on the recommendation of the Board of Ethics for violations of the City of Reading Ethics Code and failure to attend meetings.