October 14 is Deadline to Nominate Tree for City of Milwaukee's Christmas Tree

By: CBS58 Staff

Posted: Oct 14, 2016 1:53 PM CDT | Updated: Oct 14, 2016 1:55 PM CDT

The City of Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works has announced it “is now accepting nominations for a tree to serve as the 2016 City Christmas tree to be displayed at the City Hall in downtown Milwaukee.”

According to the Department of Public Works press release, “eligible trees must be located in the City of Milwaukee. The ideal tree should be 30 to 40 feet tall, and must be accessible for harvest with a crane, meaning no overhead wires present to interfere with the process. Generally the crane is parked near the front yard or side yard to harvest the tree. The tree candidates are judged on size, shape, uniformity, density, and color – the same criteria that residents use to buy their own trees.

"We want to get everyone involved," said Sandy Rusch Walton, Communications Manager for Milwaukee DPW . "We want it to be very festive and a community event. So, if you live in the City of Milwaukee, you have a tree that lives in the city of Milwaukee, we'd like to hear from you!"

Nominations are accepted through October 14th.

When a tree is selected, the City’s DPW Forestry staff will cut the tree, use the crane to place it on a flat bed truck for transportation downtown, remove the stump, and fill in the hole. The tree will receive a police escort to City Hall.

All tree candidates will be evaluated, and one will be selected and harvested in early November, and lit at the City Christmas Tree Ceremony on Thursday, November 17th at City Hall. Mayor Tom Barrett will welcome the donors of the selected tree, and all will take part in the lighting ceremony to ‘flip the switch.’”

If you would like your tree to be considered, contact the City of Milwaukee 286-CITY (2489) by Friday, October 14th, 2016.