Bob Sepe resigns due to illness

By DAVID CONSTANT, Breeze Correspondent

NORTH PROVIDENCE - During last week's North Providence Environmental Commission meeting held Monday, Aug. 18 at the North Providence Public Library the group discussed measures to be taken into consideration in the town hiring a new tree warden after the recent resignation of Bob Sepe.

Sepe left the post due to ill health, according to Yvonne Federowicz, co-chair of the Environmental Commission.

Federowicz said that the commission "would like to thank Bob Sepe for all his work. He was planning quite a few more additions to our urban forest and his health has prevented him from continuing."

The commission drafted a letter to Mayor Charles Lombardi regarding the tree warden vacancy. The mayor appoints the warden.

Federowicz said that all towns in the State of Rhode Island, by law, are required to have a tree warden.

The warden needs to be a person committed to maintaining North Providence's urban forest and understanding how trees benefit the town, she said.

Each town, based on if it is more rural or more urban, has different needs and expectations of its trees, she said. Based on this, each town has different expectations from their tree warden, she said.

A tree warden's main duty is to look for and take care of diseased and hazardous trees.

Commission members hope that the next warden will understand that trees are an important part of a community.

According to Federowicz, studies have shown that trees have been associated with lower crime and violence. Also, trees provide higher property value and are aesthetically pleasing.

The commission members also hope that the next warden will be a trained professional who will plant diverse shrubs and trees in the appropriate places while providing maintenance to these additions as well.

Additionally, the next tree warden will become an automatic member of the commission, assuring regular participation and communication with the group.

The commission will meet with Lombardi in the coming weeks to address several issues involving the appointment of a new tree warden.