A WODONGA woman says the failure of Wodonga Council to act over a tree which fell over a road could have ended in disaster.
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Rhonda Strauss was so frustrated to find the large tree was still across Felltimber Creek Road five hours after she first reported it on Friday, that she and another motorist removed it themselves.
Yesterday, the council said a “computer failure” meant parks and gardens staff did not receive the message.
Ms Strauss was travelling on the road at Hunchback Hill towards Barnawartha, where it turns into a gravel road, about 1pm on Friday, and found the tree was blocking three-quarters of the road.
She immediately called the council, fearing someone would hit it; visibility was poor coming around the hill and drivers were known to speed on that stretch of road, she said.
She was returning back to Wodonga about 6.15pm and found the tree was still there.
She called after-hours to no response.
If I had not been thinking clearly because it was a busy day or feeling under the weather, I could have hit it.
- Rhonda Strauss
Another motorist stopped at the scene and used his chainsaw to cut back the tree to the embankment, with Ms Strauss helping remove it.
She spoke with the council again on Monday, and says she found it difficult to get a helpful response from staff, aside from one Parks and Gardens officer who apologised and told her staff would normally go out to such an incident even at 2am.
“I just want to know why it was left there,” she said.
“I’m a 34-year-old mum of three — if I had not been thinking clearly because it was a busy day or feeling under the weather, I could have hit it.
“It was five minutes away from being a disaster for someone.
“It’s a busy road, it gets used like a freeway, people just roar down there... I spent all weekend wondering how and why the council could do that.”
Council’s director of planning and infrastructure Leon Schultz told The Border Mail the original request was received by customer service staff and passed on to parks and gardens electronically.
“However, it was not received due to a computer failure on Friday at the council’s depot,” he said.
“When the complainant rang the after hours service on Friday evening, the parks and gardens staff attended the scene to find the tree had been removed.
“The team attended the scene again today following a further complaint and deemed the tree was removed a safe distance from the gravel road.
“The council thanks those who removed the tree and apologise for the delay in attending due to systems failure.”
