Park Supporter Commits $5K to Replace Trees If Dog Waste Harms Them

Dunwoody Patch received an email sent to Mayor Mike Davis from Carl Neigoot with Brook Run Dog Park Association following Davis' statement that he does not trust arborists that concluded trees at the park are not being harmed by dog waste. 

Davis's statement was in a reply to dog park supporter Samantha Suggs.  

Op-Ed: 'The Mayor has Made his Decision a Personal One' on Brook Run Dog Park

Neigoot tells the mayor that he will commit $5,000 to the replacement of trees if within seven years all the trees in the current dog park die due directly to the use of the area by dogs.

Below is Neigoot's correspondence to Davis:

Mike,

I had another interview at the Dog Park with WSBTV today (Sunday 10/27/13). I did not receive a response from you concerning my last email that explained that this issue in NOT about the dog park per se. It is about fiscal responsibility in spending taxpayers money needlessly and wastefully. Let’s put aside that you do not trust the word of “experts” as you relayed in your email to Samantha Suggs (portion of your email below dated 10/23/13) –

Samantha

I have given a great deal of thought to it. One thing I've learned as mayor is to not trust the experts. I've seen too much bad testimony in court by hired experts. 

As a result I have to go with my own observation. I see a dog park placed incorrectly on a hill. I see soil compaction, erosion and tree damage. I see way too many dogs tearing up the landscape. Unfortunately most of them come from out of town.  

You have the report from your arborist and refuse to acknowledge that there has to be some reason for the discrepancy between ArborGuard and the two Master Arborists we had report on the condition of the area. Also, I still do not understand your issue with “outsiders” coming into Dunwoody and visiting our facilities. They bring revenue to our businesses and maybe like what they see and purchase homes or businesses here. On these, let’s agree to disagree.

I would like to propose a compromise to you as a representative of the City of Dunwoody. This compromise should be acceptable to any reasonable City government officials. The City believes that the current dog park is an environmental detriment and according to your arborist report and your statements to WSBTV in the last interview ....”Should the dog park be continuously to be used in this way, it can be expected that within 7 to 10 years, all trees in this area will be dead.”(page 162 of the ArborGuard Report).

My proposal to the City of Dunwoody is this:

• Keep the dog park in its current location.
• Perform all the enhancements already planned and budgeted for the area such as terracing for erosion control, soil conservation, mulching, etc. .
• If within 7 years all the trees in the current dog park die due directly to the use of the area by dogs and not due to natural disaster, disease or outside forces affecting the demise of the trees – I, Carl Neigoot, will personally commit the sum of $5,000 to be earmarked for the replacement of the trees. There are approximately 200 trees in the area and from a wholesaler, you can get a nice variety of trees to replant the area for that sum of money. This money comes from me, personally, and is not associated with any outside agency or group of people (although I think MANY would also participate in this compromise. Even if they do not I WILL PAY FOR IT ALL ($5,000).
• This is a MULTI WIN for the City. The City incurs NO RISK, the City saves the $125,000 cost to move the dog park AND saves an unknown (and most likely a significant) amount of money on trying to maintain the new dog park. As noted previously, the new dog park is non-compliant with the nationally recognizedTrust for Public Land guidelines for dog parks. The Trust for Public Land  DOES NOT recommend sod (which is planned for the new park and will need replaced often), Trust for Public Land  DOES NOT recommend locating it near children’s playgrounds (which the new planned park is)  and Trust for Public Land  DOES NOT recommend their placement near multi use trials or walkways (obviously the new park is located right next to the multi-use trail). 
  

Mike, I make this offer as a concerned citizen of Dunwoody and do not want to see our City waste taxpayers money. I would like you to consider this offer and feel free to pass this on to the other City Council members for their consideration. I do not make this compromise lightly and I believe in our City and want us all, as a community, to make the RIGHT decisions.

Sincerely Yours,