Willows whacked at PS 98

On Monday, May 8, the triangle in front of PS 98 in Douglaston was renamed and dedicated as Willows’ End, as part of the Commercial Corridor Program sponsored by Borough President Helen Marshall.
The $200,000 project, which “enhanced (Willows’ End) with vibrant flowers and shrubs, making it an attractive oasis for the Douglaston Community,” acknowledged the good works of two Douglaston residents, Denise Buffington Barthold, and Henrietta Mueller, remembered by many PS 98 graduates as “their piano playing kindergarten teacher.”
Two days earlier, the Saturday calm in Douglaston was disrupted by the sound of a huge wood chipper and chainsaws, as all five of the large Willow trees in the PS 98 schoolyard were cut down to the ground.
PS 98 has been in the news lately, because the schoolyard has been closed for months, due to safety concerns arising from dangerous tree branches. The school first requested action from the Department of Education (DOE) a year ago, and after input from State Senator Frank Padavan, Assemblymember Ann Margaret Carrozza, and City Councilmember Tony Avella, a DOE spokesperson said that the work would be completed “in the next couple of weeks.”
Area parents and pupils thought the city would only clear any unsafe branches, as was reported in the media.
According to an official present at the meeting, PS 98 Principal Sheila Huggins sought to have the trees saved, but could not be given assurances that the safety of the children would be guaranteed if the trees remained. Ms. Huggins did not return calls requesting comment as of this writing.
The PS 98 schoolyard is entirely outside the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks, so that there is no requirement that the Forestry Office be consulted before the trees were cut down. For this reason, Queens Borough Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski stated that she could make no comment. Borough President Helen Marshall said, “It’s a shame, but the safety of the children is paramount. After all, they’re only trees.”
Henry Cherry, chief custodian of the school declared, “The job was bid out and went to the lowest bidder. It was for the safety of the children. I have nothing else to say.”
However some questions remain. On Saturday, neither the custodian nor a representative for the company doing the work, who would only identify himself as “Paul” of the “landscape company” would identify who did the work. A worker on site suggested “LBS Landscape & Tree Corp.,” but LBS owner Steve Goodman said his company provides snowplowing services for PS 98, and never heard about this bid for tree removal. DOE policy states that jobs costing more than $250 are required to have a minimum of three bids.
The four trucks on the job, which are required by law to display the name of the owner, had their markings covered with duct tape, which is a violation punishable by 30 days in jail or a $50 dollar fine.
According to an industry source, contractors doing work on city property are required to identify themselves. Further, even though a sign next to the truck gate declares the grounds to be a Hard Hat Area, none of the workers were observed to be wearing head or eye protective gear.