Unkind Cuts

By Dottie McGrew

Some North Canton residents get nervous at the sound of a chainsaw. The syndrome is particularly prevalent in the southeast and northeast sections of the city but is expected to spread.

Onset of sensitivity to blade rasping through wood seems to be linked to American Electric Power “vegetation management” crews. The crews arrived in late August and could continue their work through December, according to City Administrator E. J. Wise Jr.

Council members as well as Wise have received complaints from residents about AEP tree trimming. Some residents report their trees were cut in half. Since the power failure four years ago that darkened Ohio as well as the whole East Coast, regulatory agencies have leaned hard on electric companies to clear tree limbs near their lines. Tree limbs in Ohio were blamed for the major outage. Wise plans to meet with AEP representatives.

It has been almost nine years since AEP “aggressively” cut back trees along their North Canton circuits, Wise said. “Aggressive,” huffed one resident who preferred anonymity. “More like mutilation.”

Strong words and negative reaction are not new to AEP, according to customer service representative Shelly DiMatio.

“We know people feel strongly about their trees,” DiMatio said. “We try to balance the importance of trees with providing safe, dependable electrical service, which is our goal. Tree limbs are a continual source of problems in providing uninterrupted service.”

AEP conforms to international standards of arborculture, according to DiMatio.
She admits that this is “difficult for customers to understand” because it is not what they
“consider appropriate to maintain the overall look of tree aesthetics.”

The company sub-contracts with Asplundh Tree Experts Co. to clear tree limbs from 10 to 15 feet on either side of electric lines.

Residents say they understand that AEP needs to protect their lines but wonder why the cuts have to be so severe that neighborhoods look blighted.

AEP trims trees on a cycle. “We have to make cuts that will allow for growth,” DiMatio said. “We cannot return the following year so we have to trim accordingly.”