Davis, CA – A Yolo County jury has awarded $24.2 million to the family of Jennifer Comey, a Davis resident who died in 2021 after being struck by a falling tree limb in Slide Hill Park. The verdict concludes a trial in which the City of Davis and city contractor Davey Resource Group were named as defendants.
The City accepted responsibility for the tree failure and, in court, focused solely on determining the damages owed to Comey’s family. The city’s municipal risk pool, a shared insurance program among local governments, will cover the payment.
According to the city’s release, “The awarded amount will be paid through the City’s municipal risk pool, who handled the case on the City’s behalf.”
A municipal risk pool combines the resources of multiple, participating, local governmental agencies and uses those pooled public resources to cover the costs of a legal claim or lawsuit against an agency. The city added, “When an agency receives a claim for damages, the claim is transferred to the municipal risk pool, much like someone would do when they report a car collision to their automobile insurance company. The municipal risk pool then controls the litigation strategy, representation in court and any potential settlement of the lawsuit and covers legal and any court-imposed costs or damages related to the case.”
Urban Forestry Reforms in Response to Incident
Since the 2021 tragedy, Davis officials have made several policy and staffing changes aimed at improving tree maintenance and public safety. The Urban Forestry Division, responsible for managing the city’s approximately 30,000 trees, has undergone significant expansions and operational improvements.
Key Changes Include:
- Departmental Shift: In July 2021, the City moved the Urban Forestry Division to the Public Works Utilities & Operations Department to integrate tree care with broader infrastructure management.
- Expanded Tree Pruning: In 2022, the City formally included trees in parks and greenbelts in its seven-year tree pruning cycle.
- Increased Staffing: Between 2022 and 2023, the City Council approved two expansions, growing the Urban Forestry Division to six full-time staff members, including four Certified Arborists.
- Additional Funding: In 2023, the City secured funding for a secondary contract tree crew to help with tree maintenance, including removals and large-scale pruning.
- Long-Term Urban Forest Plan: In March 2023, the City adopted a 40-year Urban Forest Management Plan, outlining strategies for risk reduction, pest control, and long-term tree care.
- More Frequent Inspections: A pilot program launched in Summer 2023 increased tree inspections and pruning in high-traffic areas such as parks, playgrounds, and downtown open spaces from a seven-year cycle to every three years. The City estimates that 6,500 trees will be inspected annually through this program.
Further budget allocations for tree maintenance and safety initiatives will be considered by the City Council in April 2025.
Ongoing Safety Measures
City officials have emphasized public safety in their approach to urban forestry, highlighting the balance between tree preservation and risk management. Along with tree maintenance improvements, the City has continued to collaborate with local organizations on tree planting and upkeep, while also disseminating safety information during storm seasons and high-wind advisories.
The $24.2 million jury award marks a significant legal and financial outcome for the City of Davis. In the wake of the ruling, officials say they will continue efforts to enhance urban forestry management and reduce future risks.
The “vanguard administrator” should disclose at very top this is a city press release —the Enterprise should be doing this too. An author should be attributed to every piece published at top so reader has information to judge pieces credibiliy and likely bias before they read it.. The enterprise running press releases without this disclosure — as if they are fact based balanced news reporting is not ethical. And even vanguard, which merges news and op-ed in its writing should reveal who author is— and if someone is paying then.
The third paragraph indicates that
This statement and 90% article fails to indicate it was part of press release or op-ed. I request you correct this posting so it indicates it was not reportage you did. And here and in future indicate city authorship in first sentence if not the by line.
Example: This is unquoted part of above article was false. 1/2 city argument in court was to place part of blame on Davey consultants— ie Use of word “solely” is blatant lie. And misses context: city did not take responsibility for 4 years — until eve of trial. Please be clear city wrote it by rewriting piece and/or adding quotes.
Thanks for correcting first draft if history so we remember it correctly.
. “The City accepted responsibility for the tree failure and, in court, focused solely on determining the damages owed to Comey’s family.”