so how do you think the negotiations went with Carlos? city council: yes carlos..we want to a tree..and we heard you do it for pretty cheap. carlos: how about 1 million? city: no! are u kidding? carlos: best i can do is 500K city: 200K and you make a landing strip out of this bushy area. carlos: you got a deal.
[rQUOTEr]There's yet another chapter in the tree moving saga out of League city. The relocation of Compton Oak has been delayed once again. The 400-ton tree was scheduled to be moved Monday, but after tests this weekend, contractors determined they needed additional equipment. City officials decided to move the century-old tree to make way for a road widening project. Crews hope to have the additional equipment by Tuesday evening, but no new move date has been set.[/rQUOTEr]
We have biggest (and oldest) trees in America. None of these facts are relevant to this story, though.
^^^Not too surprising. I carpool with a guy who was involved with Metro's move of the "MLK" tree. It's quite complicated, and that was a MUCH smaller tree.
League City is known for the oak tree! We need to salvage whatever vintage charm we can.... quoting the League City Elementary school song... "League City Elementary, strong as an old oak tree"... I rest my case
Where does the $200,000 go? Laborers that pay sales and income taxes and buy cars, crane companies that pay franchise taxes, local motels and restaurants for the people doing the work, insurance companies, fuel suppliers. (The California company with the contract may net $30K) And in the end you get civic identity, a public park, and an enduring lesson in conservation. 100 year old Oak trees are rare on the coastal prairie. They reflect the history of the people who settled and built the towns. They don't just get replaced with 4" nursery trees. Public works aren't 'wasted money*'. They can actually create value by the 'Multiplier Effect'. *an idea promoted by the tea bag nation that can let the US actually slip backward
I remember when I believed in such mystical things as Power Rangers, boogeymen under the bed, Santa Claus, and, most absurdly of all, the "multiplier effect." Such innocence.... As for $200K moving the tree, eh, whatever. I don't live in LC anymore. I'll be interested to see the park when it first opens. I hope it's better than it sounds.
