Town hacks

[adkranger]

Wow

I guess I struck a cord with that chipper statement. Must a be some closet chipper salesmen in here.:biggrinbounce2:

Truth be told I'm not bashing my town's Hwy Dept, they do an excellent job with the mostly limited resources they've got. There is no "tree trimming/removal" budget here, you've got no clue how it is in the boonies. The tree trimming 'round here is done during winter down times, usually consisting of removing brush, limbs and trees in ROW. The determination of cut/don't cut is whether it hits the plow trucks mirrors and antenneas. Pruning 'round here is usually accomplished with a Stihl 044 at ground level, of course that saves on complaints of rippin', stubbin' and hackin'. Inmates are utilized on this kind of work for "efficiency" in the cutting and hauling, though most material stays where it lays in the woods. The Brush Bandit gives about TEN(10) hours of service annually, which is poor "efficiency" IMO regardless of how efficient at reducing waste it is. You could eat off that thing. The town would have been more efficient renting a chipper or borrowing from another locale when needed and the guys the Hwy Dept. would be the first to admit it.

Blindly purchasing equipment purely based on it's efficiency w/o evaluating the cost/benefit is still foolish IMO. This is how gov'ts get into huge, unnecessary debt. Even with our efficient chipper, much of the brush generated in my town still gets burned annually or stays as it lays in the woods. I'm not against chippers, got one of my own that passed my cost/benefit analysis and know their value at reducing waste. And I do attend many town board meetings and exercise my rights at the ballotbox, but not every expendature is open to review. The Town is Supervisor & Board are empowered to do their jobs by our collective votes, but I do not have to like every decision they make and am allowed to express my opinion as you are yours.

 

[firemanmarc]

I've seen what looked like a bushhog job just above guardrail height along roadsides. Ugly.

That is what is left behind my a boom mower clearing roadsides. They usually work them behind guardrails and intersections....

 

[coydog]

it just goes to show what's wrong with our industry when the general sentiment of municipal and county gov'ts see our industry and the work that we do to be unskilled gruntwork with no understanding of the difference between a crew of well trained and seasoned tree workers and a roads maintenance crew with no training in treework whatsoever.I've always hated the term'trimmer' because of the image it evokes in the general public, an arbitrary trimming back of vegetation, like weedwhacking. IMO it is coupled with and enabled by a serious lack of self respect in our industry as well. equipment operaters, riggers, journeylevel craftsmen of all trades are much higher paid than treeworkers in most county or municipal gov'ts, that is because treeworkers are generally classified as unskilled maintenance workers, not journeylevel craftsmen, with the exception of line clearance, if you work in a region that requires a documented apprenticeship, but most of those jobs are private and union(IBEW). The ironic thing is many of the municipal and county tree trimmer jobs are union as well, but are under the umbrella of laborers unions that do not understand nor care to negotiate for higher wages based on skill sets etc. ...but thats a whole other can of worms

 

[Brush Hog]

Hornett 22, No I'm not surprised but though only a small hick town(Marlborough) like mine would do that. I actually think it's park's and rec. doing the work. No lawn's to cut or snow to plow so most town's/state go into tree/brush mode.

Another thing I noticed was that they trimmed every branch off a tree and then left the rest. They now have a 15 ft STICK that looks like a sore d$ck on the side of the road.

 

[CRN Tree]

not much snow here in NY so the town has been out "trimming" they cut the end of my road, way over there "right of way" There is a bunch of pointed stumps all over the place. They left all sorts of debries all over the road. The one day they got in the truck and drove away leaving the pile of chips the chipper leaves sitting IN the road. If I was to do this I'm sure I would be getting calls from the town to clean the road. I took pic's so if anything ever does come up. Where do these guys learn to cut? The stumps look like pencils, and every time I got by everyone is watching one guy sharpen the saw. Must go through a lot of chains.

 

[Climb020]

Another thing I noticed was that they trimmed every branch off a tree and then left the rest. They now have a 15 ft STICK that looks like a sore d$ck on the side of the road.

There could be multiple reasons why they might have done that. I did just about the same thing yesterday to multiple trees just topping them out and just leaving a branch or so. Some areas you cannot remove due to PITA home owners that like the screening the trees give so you wack what you have to and leave the rest.
Also it is easier and cheaper to leave the wood standing and just clean up the brush.

Again I am not saying I agree with these practices or even the work that I HAVE to do but you have to do what you have to do and whatever is easier is what you do. And it is usually eaisier and faster to just spike up 20' and top out then climb all the way up and side swipe the whole tree.

 

[hornett22]

BrusHog,you do live in a strange town.

my partner is actually from there and i have a good friend there off jerry daniels rd.
i have also never gotten a job there and i get 99.9% of the jobs i bid.

i see alot of those "stumps in the sky" in CT.i don't really understand it.i have taken a few down for folks that said their previous tree service left them like that and said they'de be back to finish and never did return.i felt bad charging them knowing they already paid some scumbag to do the job.
there is a guy here that bids the jobs and then sends a merry band of mexicans to do the work.the just cut everything a few feet from the ground and leave.the guy must get paid in advance.

it amazes me what crappy service some people will settle for.we have rakes and backpack blowers and we always clean up after ourselves.if they don't want stump grinding,i cut as close to the ground as i can.

 

[alldimtrees]

reply

hell you should see the trees in springfield mo
its crazy more work than a man could ever wish 4

 

[Industry]

equipment operaters, riggers, journeylevel craftsmen of all trades are much higher paid than treeworkers in most county or municipal gov'ts, that is because treeworkers are generally classified as unskilled maintenance workers, not journeylevel craftsmen, with the exception of line clearance, if you work in a region that requires a documented apprenticeship, but most of those jobs are private and union(IBEW).

I'm in the wrong area I guess. I'm a clearance trimmer and the Residential guys working for smaller outfits do better financially than I do. Or perhaps I misunderstood your post.

 

[coydog]

I'm in the wrong area I guess. I'm a clearance trimmer and the Residential guys working for smaller outfits do better financially than I do. Or perhaps I misunderstood your post.

it varies regionally and depends on the strength of your union, here a line clearance tree trimmer employed by the city makes $30 an hour+full bennies and doubletime ot. Asplundh doesn't pay that much to their trimmers but still not bad; a lot of the private residential companies around here pay climbers 18-20 an hour. I guess what I was saying is that at least there is a recognition that line clearance trimmers are skilled labor,which is due in part to clearance trimmers going through an apprenticeship program as per state requirements. I don't know the particulars of other parts of the country but I've been appalled at what trimmers make in other regional areas, especially non-represented.

 

[Dixie1]

there is a guy here that bids the jobs and then sends a merry band of mexicans to do the work.

lets not be crass please, no need to bring up race. not all hispanics are from Mexico! I happen to know several latinos who are very skilled. please be kind.

 

[Industry]

We aren't union, so that is likely the biggest issue as far as low compensation. I climb around power and can only dream of $20 an hour. oh well.

 

[hornett22]

sorry Dixie,you'll get no PC from me.

speak english iin this country if you want my respect.i never said they didn't work and "mexican" is not a race.

 

[Dixie1]

speak english iin this country if you want my respect.i never said they didn't work and "mexican" is not a race.

my point exactly! well said. so don't generalize all hispanics into one group. that's all I wanted to say. if you read my remark, i asked kindly that we be respectful, so again, please don't be so crass. this isn't the forum for staring a conversation such as this. i personally don't care about gaining your respect, especially if this is how you project yourself to others. have a good day

 

[OTG BOSTON]

Hola Dixie

Alguna gente es demasio ignorante para su propio bueno. No pierda su tiempo que intenta convencer a idiotas!

 

[Dixie1]

thank you for your words. i know, you are right. i should have just let this little guy speak for me. :bang:

 

[OTG BOSTON]

de nada

 

[Chainsaw_Sally]

We've got guys who have been doing line clearance for the company for over 20 years, and they're making around 15 an hour.

I guess job satisfaction depends on your ability to balance corporate a$$hole-idyness, with pure two-stroke engine chain ripping satisfaction. Since they are the only game in town, I have to decide either to be treated like crap and do a job I enjoy, or go indoors. :bang: :bang:

I wanna go to Seatle.

 

[treesquirrel]

Migrant workers, illegal or legal, no matter........

there is a guy here that bids the jobs and then sends a merry band of mexicans to do the work.the just cut everything a few feet from the ground and leave.

We have the same stuff around here. One day they are cutting trees the next day they are mowing grass. I can tell you this much, this practice is driving the industry down more than most people care to admit.

 

[OTG BOSTON]

We have the same stuff around here. One day they are cutting trees the next day they are mowing grass. I can tell you this much, this practice is driving the industry down more than most people care to admit.

How so?

Pienso que mis amigos hispanos se ofenderian por sus observaciones. Ellos probablemente le mandiarian por un alegre y se le envia a su madre