“I recently observed the stormwater inlet, which is located at the intersection of Cudgery and Beech Streets, Dorrigo,” Cr Jenkins said.

“It appears that this inlet has not received any cleaning maintenance for quite some time. The volume of water that would be able to enter the stormwater system at this location during heavy rain events would be significantly diminished as a result. 

“This may result in water flowing further down the street thus creating surface water problems at lower levels, traffic issues, or alternatively overflowing into the adjacent private properties which may result in inundation of, and damage to, dwellings and other structures at those addresses. 

“I hereby request that cleaning maintenance be performed to the stormwater intake at this location.

“Although I have not specifically looked, it is highly probable that there are similar issues at other street stormwater intakes around the town. 

“Perhaps consideration too could be given to having local council works staff check these types of locations periodically as part of a standard maintenance plan, and performing cleaning maintenance if required. 

“This should be conducted on a shire-wide basis, not just in Dorrigo.”

Cr Jenkins has requested the erection of a warning sign at a road works site on Gordonville Road.

“During the lead-up to the local government elections, I observed a warning sign at roadworks on Gordonville Road had not been correctly installed,” he said.

“The sign was to warn drivers approaching the roadworks that there should be ‘NO OVERTAKING OR PASSING’. 

“It was in fact, leaning on a barbed wire fence, and from the brown stains on the shaft of the sign from the adjacent tree, it had been laying in that position for quite some time at that stage.

“There was no evidence of dirt on the spike at the foot of the signpost, so presumably it has ‘never’ been installed correctly.

“Subsequent to the election, I have again travelled this road.  The sign has been repositioned and is now laying on a road barrier, and there is still no evidence that it has during the intervening period been installed correctly.

“If this is representative of the standard of work performed by council staff, it leave a lot to be desired, and does not look good from a public-perception perspective. 

“It also reflects poorly on the council’s attitude to road safety.”

Lastly, Cr Jenkins has called on the council to work with the local police to address damage to local government property.

“I have been aware for many years that an area in Dorrigo that I believe is referred to as the Polo Grounds which front onto Railway and Ash Streets, has been used by drivers (hoons) to do circle work,” Cr Jenkins said.

“This activity usually occurs late at night or in the early hours of the morning.  I also believe it may not always be people from Dorrigo that are responsible. 

“Dorrigo Police are rarely on duty (if ever) at the time.

“Whilst this may be considered by those involved in this activity as harmless fun, it is in fact a criminal offence and if an incident should occur whilst they are performing this activity (which is highly likely should the vehicle strike the concrete water/sewer cover in the middle of the grounds), serious injury or even fatalities could result.   

“I believe the ‘NO THROUGH ROAD’ sign was also knocked over, however, was re-erected by a local resident.  

“I am able to say, as an advanced level forensic crash investigator, that the marks near the guide post and ‘NO THROUGH ROAD” sign are what is referred to as ‘acceleration scuffs’, thus the damage to the sign and guide post has been quite deliberate.

“The council should make a report to the police instances where parks, vegetation, guide posts and other council property are obviously maliciously damaged.” 

The street sign for Fern Street, Dorrigo, at the intersection of Hickory Street (opposite the Bowls Club) has been lying beside the fence for some years.

Cr Jenkins requested that this sign be erected into its designated position.

Cr Jenkins said he has travelled on Gleniffer Road from Bellingen to Gleniffer and in doing so that there is a illegible sign.

“I have observed that there is a sign erected to face drivers approaching Gleniffer, on Gleniffer Road, that should read to the effect “Road Subject to Flooding Indicators Show Depth,” he said.  

“A similar sign is erected on Never Never Road facing drivers approaching Gleniffer on that road. This sign is in excellent condition.

“However, there are no flood indicators as referred to in the signs, nor are there, from my recollection, any signs facing drivers on the other two roads that those roads may be subject to flooding in and around Gleniffer (as they would be given the topography of the landscape in that area).

Drivers of motor vehicles driving into flooded waters and water ways, intentionally or otherwise, has been a concern for emergency service agencies for a long time. 

“This type of driving behaviour was the topic of a thesis I prepared for one of my Master degrees in 2007, thus I am extremely conversant with this issue.  Indeed, there have been quite a number of deaths recorded as a result of drivers driving their vehicle into flooded waterways and flood waters.

“Additionally, emergency service agencies nationally have been spending significant sums of money in recent years to warn people of the dangers of driving into floodwaters. 

“Swift Water Rescue is a very costly, and dangerous, exercise. Council should be doing it bit towards minimising the risk of this occurring.  Maintaining signage and flood indicators to an acceptable standard is part of council’s contribution in this regard. 

Cr Jenkins has requested: