WILMINGTON — Though it may be a long shot, Clinton County commissioners decided Wednesday to get a second opinion on whether the damaged “Washington Oak” tree on courthouse square can be saved or at least its life prolonged.
Commissioner Brenda K. Woods reported she has received three phone calls and Commissioners President Patrick Haley said probably a dozen people have spoken to him in person or by phone about the big red oak tree damaged by a November ice storm — and which apparently is a descendant of an oak tree at the Mount Vernon, Virginia property of George Washington.
“I’m in favor of having someone else take another look at it,” said Haley. He added he doesn’t think hiring someone to evaluate the tree “would break the bank,” and spoke of the public interest in the tree.
The name of a regional tree expert who has a radio talk show on related topics has been given to the commissioners, and Woods plans to reach out.
Commissioner-elect Mike McCarty attended the Wednesday commissioners session and joined the discussion. McCarty is a former owner of McCarty Gardens in Sabina.
He said the tree has two issues. One is the damage to the outer bark layer “where all your nutrients move up and down the tree,” said McCarty.
When there’s as much damage to that outer bark layer as the red oak tree sustained, while it will not necessarily come falling down the next year, it’s “sort of like keeping half your mouth shut — eventually it’s going to catch up with you,” McCarty said.
The second issue, the commissioner-elect said, is weakening in the forks of the tree.
Meanwhile, a damaged branch that hangs over the downtown sidewalk will be coming down as soon as possible, agreed commissioners. Presently, that segment of sidewalk is posted as closed.
