County leaning toward removal of courthouse maple tree

Despite opposition from some local residents, the removal of the 150-year-old maple tree in front of the Jackson County Courthouse is expected to take place after all, according to Commission Chairman Matthew Hodges.

In a phone interview Friday, Hodges told The Daily Sentinel that the certified arborist the county had hired to conduct a third analysis of the tree came to the same conclusion as the two before him. According to Hodges, this arborist is a certified expert with 35 years in the business, and he collected samples from the maple tree Friday. While these samples still need to be tested before an official written analysis is provided, the arborist gave a verbal opinion of what should be done with the tree in light of the safety concerns surrounding it.

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County leaning toward removal of courthouse maple tree