If this is a game of how low can you go, City Council just went lower during its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday night. It took an elderly resident of Ann Lane, speaking to the Council during the public comment period, to remind everyone to see the forest through the trees.
The Schism
The schism created by the Board of Ethics rebuke of Mayor Josh Cohn and three city council members (Councilwoman Carolina Johnson, Councilwoman Julie Souza and Councilman Ben Stacks) deepened. To start, Mayor Josh Cohn was absent and only after the meeting was it learned he was on a scheduled vacation. Councilwoman Julie Souza came out swinging, impugning the three council members – Councilwoman Lori Fontanes, Councilman Bill Henderson and Councilman Josh Nathan – who did not participate in the special February 6th meeting.
The Tree Moratorium Cut Down
The temporary three month tree moratorium was then voted on and defeated three Yes votes (Councilwoman Carolina Johnson, Councilwoman Julie Souza and Councilman Ben Stacks) to three No votes (Councilwoman Lori Fontanes, Councilman Bill Henderson and Councilman Josh Nathan). With Mayor Josh Cohn absent on vacation, the measure was defeated.
Immediately after the vote, Councilwoman Souza lashed out “So any tree that comes down? It’s on the three of you,” she said to the three council people voting no.
“OK? We’re playing politics with a very pressing community concern. You either are not paying attention to what this community wants, or politics are more important than this community… It’s repulsive.”
The Trees
The Council then proceeded to vote unanimously to hold a public hearing on March 15th to consider amendments to Chapter 187 of the Rye City Code, the existing tree ordinance that has not been updated since 1990. But not before another series of contentious comments.
“I’m not aware of any substantive work, in the 14 months I have been on the council, concerning tree legislation, other than there’s a desire among members of the council and the community to do something about it,” said Councilman Josh Nathan.
“We had a concern that that emergency meeting was tainted. We expressed it to you. We told you our concern, we suggested that you notice the meeting for a regularly scheduled meeting. And it was our concern that anything done at that would be subject to challenge. We were advised that by city counsel and our concerns were confirmed by the Rye City Board of Ethics. So we are anxious to move forward. I think passion got ahead of process here. I have serious concerns about the genesis of the meeting on the sixth. The genesis of that meeting was misrepresented to me. I was not told whose house it was until after I raised the question.”
The Resident Channeling The Lorax
The tension remained in the room through various public comments until the elderly but spry Rye resident Judy Studebaker of Ann Lane stepped up to the podium.
“I have lived in Rye for 43 years. And I am speaking today to tell all of you why your trees are so important,” said Studebaker, starting her three minute tree soliloquy.
“I support trees of all sizes and shapes… I have 13 big trees in my woods. The canopy of these trees reduces the heat in the summer and it conserves energy and reduces my need for air conditioning… I urge you to let even the small trees grow next to the large trees. Enjoy the red and yellow foliage of the oak and maple trees in full. Design your house around the existing trees, not the other way around. Please do not cut any trees down… And forget all the politics.”
Here is the video of the City Council meeting:
