NORWICH – In spite of it being well above initial estimates, a nearly half-million dollar bid for a tree cutting project around the Lt. Warren Eaton Airport was accepted by members of the Chenango County Planning Committee on Tuesday.

The tree cutting project entails trimming or removing trees on approximately 10 acres of land surrounding the county-owned airport. Many trees, most of which are on private property, have grown so tall that they obstruct pilots’ view of the runway and, in accordance with FAA regulations, limit runway use to daytime hours only.

Just two of the five companies that county officials solicited returned a bid for the project, one of them coming in at nearly $1 million; and the other, submitted by Downes Tree Service of Hawthorne, NJ, at $493,000.

Committee members accepted the latter but were staggered that bids came back so high above engineers’ original estimates.

“$275,000 is what we were told to expect,” said committee member Fred Heisler, supervisor for the Town of Smithville. “Even $493,000 is close to 70 percent over.”

Nevertheless, there’s not many companies that will contract for tree removal projects specific to FAA guidelines, so getting a high price isn’t out of the ordinary, explained County Clerk of the Board RC Woodford.