RAYMOND – A case of vandalism in Raymond has taken a strange turn as a town-owned tree mysteriously cut down last month was stolen Monday.
The 15-foot-tall, 6-inch-diameter ornamental maple was planted in 2002 at the intersection of Route 302 and County Road as part of the Route 302 corridor beautification effort at a cost of about $1,000. It was found sliced with a chain saw about a foot from its base Monday, Aug. 29, just after Tropical Storm Irene passed through.
Town officials had already placed a $500 reward for information leading to the identity of unauthorized lumberjack when the tree disappeared on Monday. Town Manager Don Willard suspects someone took the dead tree to use as firewood for the upcoming winter.
The incident was just the latest involving some of the 36 maple and oak trees the town planted as part of the beautification effort. Just after the trees were planted in 2002, a local business owner severely trimmed one of the trees, which later died. And in May, bleach was poured in the soil near trees in front of the Raymond Shopping Center, killing two of the trees.
The maple cut most recently was estimated to be worth $2,500, and the town isn’t taking it lightly, said Willard, who views the incident as an act of vandalism and vigilantism.
“We are taking this seriously because we feel destruction of public property is a serious issue,” Willard said. “This was a deliberate criminal act, so we are seeking restitution.”
Cutting down a town-owned tree, or any tree on private property, is a crime, Willard said. Stealing a tree that has been toppled is also illegal.
Willard said the town had intentionally left the tree on the ground beside Key Bank in order “to make a statement,” Willard said, and was planning to remove it Thursday, Sept. 15.
Prior to the cutting, Willard said there had been no complaints regarding the tree, so its toppling on Monday came as a surprise to him and Nathan White, the town’s public works director. It was White who spent hours watering the tree and 35 others in the corridor for two to three hours every night for weeks when they were first planted almost a decade ago.
“It irks me that people would take the vigilante approach, rather than calling the town if there is an issue,” Willard said, adding the most likely reason for cutting the tree was for sight-line issues for motorists entering Route 302 from County Road. He said branches could have been trimmed if there was such an issue.
The town has insurance to cover any intentional tree damage in the corridor, but the deductible, $2,500, is the same as the estimated cost of replacing the ornamental tree, so Willard said he is still mulling whether to replace the costly tree.
In addition to the two bleached trees, another tree in front of the Gulf of Maine Gunsmithing shop was severely trimmed when the trees were first installed in 2002. It later died.
Gun shop owner Bill Darling, who is known to ruffle feathers in local government with readerboard messages in front of his shop, admitted he cut the branches on the tree. He said he did so because it was planted in such a way to block his sign and because it obscured the view of his customers exiting onto Route 302.
“People were complaining they couldn’t see oncoming traffic, that they were having to stick their noses out to be able to see,” Darling said. “People are driving by here at 50 mph, so I saw it as a safety issue.”
Willard said Darling is overstating the sight-line issues and that the town would have worked with him if he had come forward with tree issues.
“But he didn’t, we received no complaints,” Willard said. “Those concerns were brought after the fact.”
Darling also takes general issue with the location of some of the trees. “The town put in the trees supposedly to beautify a business section, but they block signs so people can’t see the businesses,” Darling said. “This isn’t Freeport. This is a drive-through downtown. If people can’t see a business, they’re not going to stop. So, for me, it’s a little ridiculous, but ridiculous is what bureaucracies are.”
When Darling trimmed nearly all the branches of the tree, the town attempted to prosecute Darling for vandalism of town property, Willard said, but the district attorney’s office dropped the charge after Darling produced a letter from then-Selectman Dana Desjardins giving him authorization to trim the tree because of the sight-line issues. Willard said Desjardins acted alone to grant the authorization, which came after the fact, Willard added.
Willard defends the tree placement program, saying each tree was carefully placed with an engineering firm and landscape architect providing oversight. With regard to the tree sited in front of Darling’s shop, Desjardins said he signed the letter because he believes the town was trying to put Darling out of business because of his anti-government readerboard messages.
“I was standing up for a businessperson, and I’d do it again. End of story,” Desjardins said. “And another thing, if that charge had stuck, they would have put him out of businesses because he would have lost lose his license to sell firearms.”
Also during that time, Darling agreed to replace the tree if it died, but according to Willard never “came through on that promise.”
The cash reward for the toppled and now stolen tree next to Key Bank is still available, Willard said, adding there are no leads in the case. He also said anyone who has issues with any remaining trees should contact the town. Willard can be reached at 655-4742, ext. 31.
Someone stole this ornamental maple tree on Monday after town
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