Calls have been made for a report on the Resource Recovery Centre fire.
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Councillor Garry Turland submitted a notice of motion at the July 22 ordinary meeting of council to request a report on the RRC fire which occurred on January 4.
In the meeting, Cr Turland asked the staff if the RRC fire had cost council money.
"Has this fire cost us any money to date? Either by the removal of material or by insurance on a machine that was hired in?" he asked.
Deputy general manager Barry Paull confirmed that it had cost council money but was not sure of the figure and would have to take it on notice.
"There are a number of insurance claims," he said.
"One of them has been settled and one is still on board.
"There are no claims from any external party, the insurance claims relate to council property."
Cr Turland also asked council to clarify if the fire at the RRC started near the fence of the Moss Vale sale yards.
Mayor Duncan Gair said that had driven past the fire on the day and that it had appeared to have been started near the fence line.
"The CCTV camera that was attached to the wall of the shed showed the fire coming across the earth bank. The CCTV in the sale yard complex does not face the RRC direction and could not pick up anything from there," he said.
Cr Gair also said that it appeared that the fire started from near the fence and not from spontaneous combustion when asked by Cr Turland.
Mr Paull said that while he didn't know the exact cause of the fire, it appeared that it "started outside the perimeter of the RRC and it came over the back".
"The CCTV vision that we have is very limited but it does indicate that's where the fire started," he said.
Cr Gair said he would call for a briefing session but not for a report.
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"I gave a full-scale briefing to council in relation to this back in February," he said.
"We had seven trucks on site, the SES, Fire and Rescue were the first ones there after Moss Vale RFS, there was a water shortage, water pressure issues, they took water from the sale yard hydrant, we had an ambulance there.
"I just don't know why councillors need a full blown report."
Cr Turland said all he was asking for was a report.
"It's like a briefing session but in writing, I don't know what the problem is," he said.
"This council failed to put a submission into the bushfire inquiries. This could have been an opportunity to show other councils to not fall into the same trap as this council has fallen in to by collecting green waste on a 40 degree day with a machine we couldn't use.
"The RRC is less than 500 metres from residential houses. Half the paddock to the neighbour on the south got burnt. Fire engines where there, it went on for five or six weeks."
"We need a report to know it won't happen again."
Councillor Peter Nelson said he was happy to settle for an information session on the fire at the RRC.
"We have information sessions at the drop of that hat," he said.
"I don't understand why we can't have another one. I can't see how Mr Paull can write a report and answer all those questions that Cr Turland has just asked.
"I think the information session will clear the air and if we need a report after that, so be it."
Councillor Ian Scandrett said Moss Vale was at a risk and supported the call for a report.
"In my opinion, Moss Vale was at risk, we have to remember that. If conditions had deteriorated Moss Vale could've been lost," he said.
"I think we need to learn from this and the way to do that is to have a report."
Councillor Turland's amendment to call for a report was voted on and lost.
Councillors Turland, Scandrett, Ken Halstead and Larry Whipper voted for it.
Councillors Gair, Nelson, Grahame Andrews and Graham McLaughlin voted against it.
Mayor Gair used his casting vote against the report.
Councillors then voted to hold a briefing session as part of Mayor Gair's recommendation.
Councillors Gair, Nelson, Grahame Andrews and Graham McLaughlin voted for it.
Councillors Turland, Scandrett, Ken Halstead and Larry Whipper voted against it.
Mayor Gair used his casting vote to pass the recommendation for a briefing session.