Alpine observer and myrtleford times
Mt Beauty resident frustrated by council inaction on hangar flooding

MOUNT Beauty resident Glenn Wilson is frustrated by what he says is a lack of action by Alpine Shire Council over the last 18 months to address storm water flooding in his aeroplane hangar at the Mount Beauty Airport.

Mr Wilson said civil works contracted by council caused the asphalt floor of the hangar to run toward the building, allowing for storm water to pool inside.

“At the beginning of this process we were given an undertaking that the works would not cause water inundation because correct drainage profiles were going to be made, but the finished result was the opposite,” he said.

“The real rub is that Alpine Shire Council could have had the defective works redone at no cost to the ratepayers of the shire, but because they dithered, delayed, and would not initially accept there was an issue, they missed the warranty defect period.

"Despite finally agreeing that there was a problem, despite engaging a qualified civil engineering company to survey the site after four water inundation events, despite that engineer’s report stating the original defective works were the cause of water ingress to our building, despite agreeing to carrying out the remedial works, despite having detailed construction plans drafted by the engineer, and despite putting the works out to tender, council is now trying to renege on its written undertaking to fix the problem.

“We just want the works to be done as they specified they’d do them.”

Mr Wilson said he would be filing a formal complaint, as well as going to the Ombudsman, and has already contacted the new Victorian Minister for Local Government.

Alpine Shire Council was contacted for this story but declined to comment.