Complaints from residents about summertime tree pruning prompted the City Council to look into how the city monitors its pruning contractors.

West Eckerman Avenue resident Iris Delameter said the summertime pruning was killing trees. She presented a petition from 57 residents of West Eckerman and North Ellen Drive asking city officials to delay pruning sycamore trees until winter.

City arborist Roger Blais said there is no evidence that summer pruning kills trees. The trees are kept healthy by thinning out dense growth, he said.

But Blais acknowledged that some of the trees on the two streets were damaged by improper pruning. He assured the council that plans were under way to step up inspections of contractors.