Possible Clues:

• Poor American lad losing heart, like some senior councillors
• Like some senior councillors raving under tree
• Like a councillor to be tree-crazy
• Local official's frenzied, hiding behind tree
• Crimean lad's flawed description of civic dignitary
• Like council member having obsession with tree
• Tree demented civic dignitary thus described?
• Old councillor's mind clear: a reform needed
• Like a city father with a clear mind