EDGERTON
The city of Edgerton lined its downtown streets with ash trees in the 1980s. The trees provided shade and beauty for many years.
Then the emerald ash borer invaded, slowly killing the ashes.
The city had to remove and store the big trees, a cost many cities face, City Administrator Ramona Flanigan noted. But Edgerton city government, Edgerton High School staff and students, and local businesses have turned the project into a win-win-win.
The city and school district stand to save money, and thereâs even an added benefit to the environment. More on that later.
The city paid $25,375 last year to grind its brush pile, which accumulated over several years, into chips, Flanigan said. Now, some of the tree parts are being recycled.
The Janesville City Council voted in February to help fight climate change and save money.
A group of people from around the area who worked on that council resolution got together Thursday to talk about the complexities of doing both.
One thing was clear: Janesville will not be on its own. Other cities, government agencies and businesses are working on the problem, and Janesville is behind some, such as Eau Claire, speakers said.
âNever in our history has it been so clear to so many that we need to make a change,â said Megan Levy of the state Office of Energy Innovation.
Virtual forum set to discuss Janesville emissions resolution gazettextra.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gazettextra.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.