MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis Light Gas and Water constantly struggles with power outages, and the conversation always comes back to tree trimming.
People in one Whitehaven neighborhood said they're being left out.
Sherryl Carlock, one of the neighborhood captains for Old Hickory Hills, said the lack of tree care in their neighborhood goes back to 2022. She said it was four to five months ago that MLGW sent a contractor out to assess the situation.
“They told me these did not qualify,” she said, gesturing to the trees around her on Old Hickory Road.
Carlock said the reason had to do with the trees’ height.
“But yet, some other neighborhoods qualify because I've been over in the Shady Grove area, I've been in Midtown, I've seen seeing them trimming trees,” she said.
When ABC24 asked MLGW about tree trimming in the neighborhood, they referred back to the widespread tree trimming initiative announced in August that is currently ongoing.
“Ongoing? That's what they're telling you?” Carlock asked. “It's ongoing. Ongoing where, though? In what areas are they ongoing? And what areas are they doing?”
MLGW has an interactive map showing which areas are currently being worked on and which tree service is responsible. Whitehaven is assigned to Kendall Vegetation Services.
The crews have started where trees intersect with the most powerlines.
“Old Hickory is 98 percent trees,” Carlock said.
“If this is the powerline, the trees are touching them, hanging over them,” said D’angelo Sims, describing the powerlines in his part of the neighborhood. “Some of them hanging over and not touching it but most of them touching it.”
Carlock saidsome of her neighbors have already cut down some of the trees in their yards.
“But they still have so many that should be the responsibility of Memphis Light Gas and Water because they have lines that are there,” she said.
And it’s only a matter of time before the weather threatens to bring everything down.
“That's a big concern because of the winter that's coming up,” Carlock said. “I'm really concerned about the fact that the slightest bad weather, ice or anything like that, we're out.”
ABC24 reached out to MLGW to ask about the specific qualifications for tree trimming, and they said to check the policy they have online.
ABC24 also contacted Kendall Vegetation Services to see when they plan to start work in Whitehaven, but we have not heard back at this time.