YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The city of Youngstown is considering spending millions to cut down dead and dangerous trees.

Some council members say this past weekend’s storm makes the need even more apparent.

“I surveyed four neighborhoods and found that there were at least 300 dead trees,” said Tom Hetrick, president of Youngstown City Council.

Last fall, Hetrick conducted an initial study of what he calls “dead, dying and dangerous trees.” He surveyed approximately one-eighth of the city and calculated there are at least 2,600 trees that pose a threat. Those are only the trees on vacant lots and between the sidewalk and road.

“There has never been a comprehensive dead tree survey in the city of Youngstown. So, we really don’t know how many there are,” Hetrick said.

Hetrick says the city’s current forestry staff is too limited to tackle this problem on their own.

“I don’t think they would ever be able to cut down all of the dead trees that we have,” Hetrick said. “Once the vast majority of those trees are gone, then our staff would be able to handle the incidental trees that always are going to come up.”

Sixth Ward Councilwoman Anita Davis supports removing the dangerous trees and says at least five houses in her ward were hit by trees during the recent storm.

“The storm actually confirms that it’s not just a handful of people who have an idea. They’re not paranoid,” Davis said.

Before any money can be spent on this project, city council would need to approve the legislation. The Parks and Playgrounds Committee discussed the possibility of grant money to offset costs.