Dean Fund Committee Seeks Input

The "Dean Fund", one of the most gracious gifts ever given to the City of Ann Arbor, has also resulted in some of the hottest controversy among citizens, administration, and City Council. The fund comes from an almost-two million dollar gift by Miss Elizabeth Dean, who willed that the interest from the investment of the principie was to go for the care and protection of trees throughout the city. Most of the outcry over use of the fund carne from citizens, clearly disturbed that the city was using the Dean Fund to replace monies the city would normally have spent on tree care, rather than in addition to those funds. A public hearing some months ago produced a large crowd of speakers on the subject, most of whom demanded citizen input into the way the Dean Fund was spent by the city. The result of this was formation of a special council-citizen committee, headed by Colleen McGee, councüwoman from the First Ward, and composed of council representative Roger Bertoia, citizen members Marjorie Reade, Joyce Bader, and Albert Gallup, and ex-officio members Robert Tate and staff from the Parks Department. This group recently held another public hearing to obtain ideas for the allocation of funds in the 1978-77 budget, but because of lack of publicity on the meeting only four people were in attendance from outside the committee. No more public input sessions have been scheduled by the committee, but tbere stül remains a way for cnizens to ádvance th'eir ideas on hów the Dean Fund should be allocated next year, and what priorities the citizens would establish for spending of the monies, now amounting to more than $100,000 a year. The Parks Department has set up a special Dean Tree Care unit, specially urúformed, and with their own equipment, to take care of tree problems that normal budget would not be able to do. But there is additional money, and the committee is seeking input on what projects they wish to take on. They have established a set of criteria for the suggestions. Those criteria are: 1. For repair, maintenanc and monitoring of tree health, beyond what the Forestry Department could routinely accomplish with preservation of existing trees having first priority. Special projects for the care of a threatened tree population may be included. 2. For new planting beyond what the City would normally accomplish where I citizens have equal and open access to an área. Commercial districts and major thoroughfares have first priority. New plantings shall not occur where there is not open and equal access, i.e., lawn extensions in particular neighborhoods. 3. For replacement of trees beyond what the City could normally afford where this is realistic. 4. For equipment if and only if it improves and furthers the work of special care already funded by the Dean Fund. A decisión should be made at the time of purchase as to whether the equipment would be sold when its use in a special project is at an end or given to the Forestry Department. 5. For data collection and consultation only when required within a special project. To get citizen input, the committee has printed a special form, available at the Parks or Forestry Department, which can be filled in by individuals or groups, and will then be considerad bv the committee. The filled-in forms should be submitted to the Parks Department by I November 15. All those interested in the Dean Fund, 1 and how it is used, are urged to obtain 1 one of these forms and submit it for I sideration. 1