Strathbogie Shire Mayor Amanda McClaren and Cr Malcolm Little last week sent a letter to all Avenel residents to explain why the clean-up from the February 1 storm event had been delayed.
“We understand many people have been impacted and may feel Strathbogie Shire Council has not been responsive in efforts to clean up the significant debris after this event,” they said.
“To provide some clear timelines, we envisage we will commence the clean-up in the next week.
“We have not been able to start the clean-up earlier as we are seeking Victoria Government financial support under the National Disaster Fund.
“As part of this, it is essential that we document the damage through taking photographs, videos and arborist assessments.”
Cr McClaren and Cr Little said early estimates had placed the storm damage at more than $500 000.
An official inspection of the damage by an assessor will take place in Avenel and Violet Town today and the clean-up will start as soon as that is complete.
However, the councillors said there was no guarantee council would be eligible for the National Disaster Fund and it would need to assess its approach in line with the assessor’s recommendations.
“We know Avenel residents take great pride in their town and we apologise they have been concerned about our approach and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has made the significant personal effort to clean up on their properties,” Cr McClaren and Cr Little said
“We sincerely thank them for their patience while we complete this process.”
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