Sometimes it's as simple as asking...

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thombat4

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I live in Cleveland Ohio
Over the past couple years I've scored some very nice oak and maple from a park near to my home. The fellas contracted to bring down the huge trees that could pose a danger on the pathways used to haul them to a designated parking lot so that scroungers like myself could cut 'em up and haul 'em out. It was a very good deal. The downside was you didn't know when there'd be a score to get. They didn't seem to have a time frame as to when they did their felling. Anyway, as I was walking through the park I couldn't help but notice the incredible amount of felled giants that were just left there to rot. Massive oaks, maples, ash etc. And as I'm a true woodbuggah it made the sap in my veins begin to boil seeing all that heat laying there going to waste. Well a bulb went on in my head! The park is owned by 2 separate municipalities and one of them is in dire straits when it comes to funds. The short of it is I composed a very detailed proposal just yesterday as a matter of fact asking if the city would partner with me by allowing me to cut up and haul away over time the massive logs that they aren't financially equipped to have removed. I told them who I am and where I live and how much I loved that particular park...which I do. I've been exploring that park ever since I was a kid and it's always been a favorite of mine to this day. I made it clear to them that I would be the only one doing any cutting if they allowed it and that my pickup truck would be the only vehicle onsite. I also attached two YouTube video links of me actually cutting and splitting some big rounds in their designated cutting area a couple years ago. I did that mainly to show that I am a responsible person capable of operating a big chainsaw along with various other non-power logging implements. I also made it clear to them in my proposal that I was not seeking to profit from this undertaking other than by using the wood for my own personal use.

So I fired off the email and immediately got this generic reply: "Thank you for sending your message. If it requires a reply, we will contact you shortly." So I finished up my day at work and figured I hear something more in a few weeks or so. Boy was I surprised!! Got to work today and checked my email and found this: Mr. Thomas,

Thank you for your proposal. I will speak with Mayor N____ and our law
department to obtain approval. We appreciate neighbors like you.

So maybe there is something to that passage "You have not because you ask not"....I'll do a followup to this as soon as I hear from them. Moral of the story...sometimes ya just gotta ask. Take care guys. I'll post a link to one of the videos I sent to 'em.
 
IME, as soon as "lawyer" is mentioned the answer is almost certainly to be "NO". I have converted a "no" to "yes" by offering to sign a 'hold harmless' agreement absolving the owner of any liability for me getting hurt. Only once did someone actually have me sign one.

Harry K
 
The City/County( don't know which one) is cutting tons of Ash because of EAB, course in all there great wisdom they just take over to a conservatory area on the edge of town and dump it. Nope no one allowed. Won't even sell it. School board a bit smarter the put a bunch up for auction.
 
I agree about the "hold harmless" issue. You might want to look into liability insurance for your self just so you know what it costs. If the atty says "no" you could counter "would it be yes if I had proof of liability insurance and we put together a "hold harmless" agreement and see what he says then.
 
and the truth of it is,,the city workers have no more right to those tress,,than you.....but making a stink,,would cost much time...ive been there....

Well, since they're cutting the trees, they are first in line to take what they want, even if the city doesn't care. I wouldn't even dream of making a stink about it. Every job should have it's perks, and city workers should get first dibs on the trees they cut.
 
Well, since they're cutting the trees, they are first in line to take what they want, even if the city doesn't care. I wouldn't even dream of making a stink about it. Every job should have it's perks, and city workers should get first dibs on the trees they cut.
partially....how about when,,they make firewood out of it,,and start SELLING it????? been there
 
I cut for a town two summers and we gave most of it away to folks out around there. Some we used ourselves, but most went to poor old folks and poor woodshippies, people we knew (that's basically who lived out there). No one ever complained about nuthin far as I know. None of it got sold.

When we cleared fire roads for free on the weekends it was, you cut it, fill your truck.
 
Well, since they're cutting the trees, they are first in line to take what they want, even if the city doesn't care. I wouldn't even dream of making a stink about it. Every job should have it's perks, and city workers should get first dibs on the trees they cut.

Agree with the stipulation that they have to grab it quick. No hauling it away to a dump and barring anyone else from cutting on it.

Harry K
 
I work for our local city utility, when the service dept. cuts trees down they dump whatever wood homeowners don't want to keep in a public access yard. Residents get first dibs, city employees aren't allowed to have at it until it sets there for a while (weeks-months) which doesn't happen much anymore. Well, except for crotches and really big stuff. My last haul out of there was a couple years back, (4) 3' x 3' crotches...nasty CSS! Hey, it still makes smoke though!
 
I work for our local city utility, when the service dept. cuts trees down they dump whatever wood homeowners don't want to keep in a public access yard. Residents get first dibs, city employees aren't allowed to have at it until it sets there for a while (weeks-months) which doesn't happen much anymore. Well, except for crotches and really big stuff. My last haul out of there was a couple years back, (4) 3' x 3' crotches...nasty CSS! Hey, it still makes smoke though!

Sounds like a great reason for a 100+cc saw and a five foot bar....
 

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