Call for Action team helps get a potentially dangerous tree removed from near a woman's house

(WXYZ) -  

Born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, Gertrude Opperman pieces together an old fashioned turkey and cheese sandwich.

Gertrude believes in old fashioned values as well.

As the owner of Gertrude’s Custom Draperies, one of Gertrude’s guiding principles was to treat her customers exactly the way she likes to be treated.

But a year and a half ago Gertrude says she became involved in a dispute with the St. Clair Shores Department Of Public Works over a city owned tree that Gertrude claimed was breaking up the concrete near her house and pushing up against the side of her house.

In November 2010, Gertrude sent in an application to have the city remove that tree, but her request was denied because, the city said, the tree was perfectly health and not deemed to be dangerous.

The city of St. Clair Shores has a total of 3 men responsible for caring for more than 25,000 trees. The city’s official policy is to leave “healthy trees” like Gertrude’s alone.

Still this past July 2nd Gertrude called the city’s Department Of Public Works and asked them again to cut that tree down.

When her request was denied again, that’s when Gertrude called the Call for Action team and just 7-days later city and DPW crews had chopped that tree down.

Several days later the city started grinding up the tree stump as well.

“Thank you again, and thank you again. Because you helped me get that tree cut down. Channel 7 and Call for Action - you are doing something for the people,” Gertrude says.

If you need help with a problem you can’t solve, you can call The Call For Action Team at 248-827-3362.