Winamac council changes mind regarding tree service

A special Winamac Town Council meeting led to the council members reversing a previous decision regarding the payment of services not rendered to specification. 
On May 19, the council approved to pay the $1,650 that is owed to a business that recently downed trees in the town park. 
During the May 9 regular meeting, council members approved to not pay the $1,650 because four trees were cut down that should not have been. Instead four other trees were to be cut down. 
Councilman Dan Vanaman said it wasn’t right that the town is paying for wrong trees to be cut down.
During the May meeting, the council approved to pay the company $18,350. The original quote was for $20,000 and indicated which trees were to be cut. The quote included cutting down 49 ash trees. The trees that were part of the quote were marked with yellow caution tape. The four trees that were to be cut by the town were marked with blue and silver tape. 
“He did cut 49 trees and they were all ash trees,” said councilman Tom Murray. “They needed to be cut and he was a $5,000 bid cheaper than anyone we had.” 
He advised that in the future the trees need to be painted instead of using caution tape that can be removed.  
Vanaman opposed the motion to pay the business. 
The town will hire another company to remove the additional four trees at a cost of $1,650. 
Council members Ken McFarland and Judy Heater were absent from the meeting.