Amount covers emergency work at Bancroft Park 

By Theresa Knapp 

The Hopedale Select Board recently transferred “ARPA Funds” to cover costs for emergency tree removal done at 61 Bancroft Park. 

“ARPA” is money provided to the town by the federal government as part of the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law in 2021. 

Town Administrator Diana Schindler told board members, “We had to do some emergency tree removal on the left bank of the river at Bancroft Park. There were some trees that were decaying and needed to be removed in an emergent way.”

Tree Warden Becca Solomon ordered the work which cost $7,850. 

Schindler asked the board for a transfer of $35,000 “because that was the amount we discussed at town meeting to give to the tree warden to deal with these tree situations…She has other things that have to be dealt with and I am getting many phone calls about trees.” 

Schindler said the larger lump-sum transfer would help the tree warden deal with several outstanding tree issues. 

“She [Solomon] has a whole list of trees that she’s prioritized and that need to be removed, that’s where we came up with the $35,000 in the first place,” explained Schindler, noting there are about 20 trees on the list. 

Schindler reminded the board that the money for the tree warden was requested in the ‘23 budget and the Finance Committee had specifically taken it out of the budget and recommended ARPA money be used for that line item. 

After a 10-minute discussion, the Select Board agreed to transfer $17,500 in ARPA money to the forestry account.