Mayor Bob Morris said city crews continue to cut limbs hanging over streets and city right of way one day a week and believes it is a beneficial service to residents.

“We’re working on 20 years of neglect,” he said.

One resident is not sold on the benefits.

Travis Hollier, who lives on East Nile, is livid over the city cutting an oak at his house.

He had just recently paid an Opelousas firm $627.08 to prune the tree and claimed it did not hang too long into the street.

Morris disagrees, saying city crews don’t cut limbs that aren’t too low.

The mayor said the city responds to complaints from IESI about its trucks striking overhanging limbs.

Last week, IESI sent the city notes about Nile, Boudreaux and Dulles street sites and the crew responded.

The mayor said the crew prunes overhead one day a week.

“We’re obligated to clear the vertical right of way if it’s impeded,” he said.

Hollier has no dispute with the trucks being able to pass. His contention is he had already taken care of any problem “by hiring a licensed arborist.”

“These people just come out with that chain saw and start whacking,” he said.

Hollier said he filed a complaint with the police department but was advised his issue is a civil matter.

City code stipulates that limbs hanging over city streets can be no lower than 10 feet above the street surface.