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Ashland woman warned ODOT Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Zoe Barclay says the Oregon Department of Transportation should have removed this tree long before it collapsed onto her Ashland home in high winds Wednesday. ODOT's district manager said the agency knew of Barclay's concern, but hadn't put the tree on a priority list for removal this year. By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND - Zoe Barclay told the Oregon Department of Transportation three years ago that a 90-foot tree in the agency's right of way was a threat to her home and should come down. On Wednesday, the tree landed on top of her studio, destroyed a shed and cut water and power to her house. "I'm just glad my little grandson wasn't under the tree," said Barclay. "If it had gone the other way it could have crushed my bedroom." Barclay's Washington Street land sits on a bank above the southbound lanes of Interstate 5. The tree was on the east side of a barbed wire fence that separates the property from the freeway. Signs of dry rot were evident for several years, said Barclay. Strong winds that accompanied Wednesday's storm were enough to topple the cottonwood. Barclay said she called ODOT's Tolman Creek Road maintenance office again Wednesday morning. "I said 'This thing is moving. You've got to come and get it down.' " The tree fell sometime between 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesday before Barclay returned home from her job with Commercial Property Management. A live power line was dangling across a propane tank when she got home. Power crews cut the electricity. Firefighters from Ashland and Fire District 5 told her the house was unsafe. The property is in the county just beyond city limits. Barclay said she recently invested $20,000 to upgrade the studio where she works on and stores items for her performance art shows. "I had a lot of stuff stored in there and was building a laundry room," said Barclay. There is a hole in the studio's roof. The well pump was housed in the destroyed shed. Power tools in the shed were crushed. Barclays' grandson, Salih Dagasan, often played next to the tree. Barclay frequently watches him while her daughter, Reama Dagasan, attends classes at Southern Oregon University. When Barclay first reported the damage to ODOT's Tolman Creek office she was told the agency's insurance would cover the loss. A supervisor later said she would have to fill out claim forms. "I felt helpless and very disrespected by ODOT when they said to fill out risk management forms," said Barclay. "We have asked her to work with our risk management people to getting this thing remedied," said John Vial, ODOT district manager. "We had conversations with her before regarding her concerns," said Vial. "We were aware of her concerns around this tree." ODOT has a hazardous tree removal program but the list has tens of thousands of trees slated for removal, said Vial. The agency prioritizes the work, but "In this case we missed it. It was not on a list to take out this year." Barclay's homeowner insurance will cover the cost of accommodations at a hotel. She stayed with a friend Wednesday night. Insurance adjuster Larry Moss of GAB Robbins, Medford, was at the scene Thursday. "I'm out here assessing the damage and the steps to take now to get power restored to the house and get her up and running," said Moss. Moss gave Barclay the OK to begin removing the tree. She hired a friend's firm, 2B Forrest, to do the work. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.