Oh grate! Trees cause city staff concern

Brookville city staff is pondering what to do with the trees that are pushing up the tree grates on Market Street.

Terry Baver | The Register-Herald

BROOKVILLE — City manager Sonja Keaton informed council city staff is currently looking into what to do with the trees along Market Street between Wolf Creek and Jefferson streets.

“Those trees were probably installed in the 1990s. They’ve gotten quite large that the tree grates are now raising up and causing trip factors,” Keaton said.

“We’re trying to figure out what we need to do with the trees, either leave them in and put new trees in or somehow put a little wall around the tree grates themselves so that way people aren’t tripping over those grates,” Keaton said.

In other matters, Keaton said the city recently received a Keep Montgomery County Beautiful grant from the Montgomery County Solid Waste District on behalf of the Leaf and Blossom Club.

“ The Leaf and Blossom Club received a $1,000 grant. That’s the maximum for that grant,” Keaton said.

“They will be using the money to purchase flowers to fill our planters along Market Street in our business district,” Keaton said.

Keaton said city staff recently met with representatives of Arbor Homes, the developers of the proposed subdivision at the corner of East Upper Lewisburg and Albert roads.

“Their contractor will be moving dirt and installing the infrastructure on the 18-acre site,” Keaton said.

“You are going to start seeing activity on that property sometime in May,” Keaton continued.

A total of 43 single-family homes are planned to be built.

Keaton also told council the city recently placed an order for a new four-inch chopper pump at a cost of $12,500.

“ The pump will replace the chopper pump in our Urban Lane lift station,” Keaton said. “That is the original pump that was in there back in 2007. It’s seen it’s useful life,” Keaton continued.

Reach Terry Baver at [email protected]