The Amelia village council discussed eliminating the village tree fund in order to increase revenue for the park fund. The tree fund receives revenue from a portion of new building permits.
Councilman Bob Pollitt introduced the suggestion on behalf of the finance committee.
Amelia fiscal officer Bill Gilpin and village solicitor Laura Abrams said state law does not allow the village to transfer money out of the tree fund, however they can divert the revenue stream into another fund and allow the tree fund to be depleted through expenditures on trees. Gilpin said the fund description is very general and could be used for anything from planting new trees in the village to removing and chipping limbs downed by recent storms.