<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">As a follow-up, employees of the National Park Service yesterday cut down the trees and limbs that presented a danger to residents using Lincoln Park. Councilman Charles Allen interceded with NPS and employees were dispatched immediately. <u class="">Kudos and thanks to Allen and his staff as well as to Commissioner Mike Soderman</u>.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The cut limbs and branches had not been removed as of earlier this morning and people with small children might want to avoid those spots. On the other hand kids might find it all very much fun: big sticks to throw and swords to fight with, limbs to drag around, and trunks to jump over. Make sure to tell the ambulance driver to turn on the siren - even more fun.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Mark Ugoretz<br class=""><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Apr 16, 2019, at 6:33 PM, Mark Ugoretz <<a href="mailto:mugoretz@gmail.com" class="">mugoretz@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii" class=""><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Dear Councilman Allen:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Sometime ago, at least a year, several of us complained to the National Park Service that the dead and dying trees in Lincoln Park were a serious danger to residents who used the park. Limbs had fallen onto areas where people sat or walked, other limbs were in danger of falling, and an entire tree fell into SE corner play area.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">During the last 48 hours, another portion of a dead tree fell directly onto a bench where someone could have been sitting. Had someone been sitting there, they would be dead. A photo of that bench appears below (see photo A below. Photos B-D reflect other dead trees in the park that need to be removed). These trees are a danger that is clear and present.</div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It is understood that the financial resources of NPS have been curtailed in recent years. However, it would not take a crew of one or two existing employees with a truck and a lightweight chain saw more than a couple of hours to remove all the dead trees and eliminate a safety hazard for residents who use the park. </div><div class=""><u class=""><br class=""></u></div><div class=""><u class="">NPS has been aware of the problem for well over a year, the problem having been brought to their attention early in 2018</u>. Thus, the excuse that their employees are busy with other matters is without merit since they had the entire fall and winter to remove the dead trees. (It is true that an NPS crew did remove a tree. However, they ignored the dead trees and inexplicably removed a living tree.)</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">It would be helpful to the lives and safety of your constituents if you would bring this to the attention of the NPS in such a way that would result in a crew being sent out for a couple of hours to <u class="">remove all the dead trees</u>. I am not aware if there is a Federal standard that calls for a specific number of required deaths and serious injuries for NPS to act.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Very truly yours,</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Mark Ugoretz</div><div class="">10th & Massachusetts Ave NE</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">A B C</div><span id="cid:90ACA307-C745-40DE-B657-1D10C5BB8FD6@hsd1.dc.comcast.net"><IMG_0524.jpeg></span><span id="cid:D7CC6499-6F18-4203-A0EC-22A735D5F371@hsd1.dc.comcast.net"><IMG_0525.jpeg></span><span id="cid:B8AD2032-F27E-4C7D-A4C5-18BD6467BC97@hsd1.dc.comcast.net"><IMG_0527.jpeg></span><span id="cid:9E581204-4FFD-436D-9C67-6F16E22CB4F8@hsd1.dc.comcast.net"><IMG_0529.jpeg></span><span id="cid:A1398193-ABA7-40B6-B050-16345CC1919A@hsd1.dc.comcast.net"><IMG_0530.jpeg></span><br class=""><div class=""> D C</div></div></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>