Bert The Eagle's Future Up For Discussion At Next Meeting

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Options for the replacement of Bert the Eagle will be discussed at the next Washington Township Committee meeting on Feb. 13.

Bert, a giant eagle carved from the dying Liberty Tree, was removed from his home at the intersection of Flocktown and Schooley's Mountain Roads Nov. 2018 after concerns about his stability were raised. It has twice been damaged before, by car crashes in 2010 and 2014.

Restoring the statue would cost about $55,000, township administrator Andrew Coppola said. The damage on the statue is extensive; Shade Tree Committee members who inspected Bert this past spring said the rot damage was so bad the statue was essentially "firewood" and there was just no way to salvage it, the Observer Tribune reported.

There are cheaper options: A 16 foot carved wooden replica would run between $10,000 and $13,000. A pre-formed, six foot bronze statue would cost between $5,500 and $10,000. A fiberglass replica has not been priced, Coppola said.

A non-sculpture proposal was also priced out. Installing a 20 foot flag pole in that location would cost between $200 and $300, plus the cost of lighting.

An online petition to plant an oak tree has garnered 65 signatures, something Coppola acknowledged. It's not clear how much that would cost.

None of these options should cause a conflict, unless the island is removed, in which case state approval would be necessary, Coppola said.

The meeting will be held at the Municipal Building at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13. You can find the full agenda here.

Image via Washington Township