During a recent government meeting, community members expressed growing frustration over the lack of proactive maintenance by Encore, particularly regarding tree trimming near power lines. Several residents raised concerns about hazardous conditions, citing instances where dead trees and overgrown branches posed risks of power outages and potential safety hazards.

One resident recounted a troubling experience where they were told by Encore representatives that the company would only respond to issues after they occurred, rather than taking preventive measures. This sentiment was echoed by others, who highlighted repeated requests for tree trimming that went unaddressed, leading to dangerous situations during storms.

Another resident shared a specific case involving a dead tree leaning on power lines, which Encore crews had acknowledged but failed to remove despite multiple promises. The resident expressed concern for the safety of children in the area, fearing electrocution or severe outages if the tree were to fall.

The discussion also touched on the financial implications of neglecting maintenance, with one participant suggesting that it would be more cost-effective for Encore to maintain their infrastructure proactively rather than waiting for failures to occur.

In response to these concerns, a representative from Encore acknowledged the issues and committed to improving communication and response times regarding tree trimming requests. However, residents remain skeptical, urging the company to take immediate action to prevent potential disasters. The meeting underscored a critical need for enhanced accountability and responsiveness from utility providers to ensure community safety and reliability of services.