Aged care resident told to pay for costly clean-up

WEEDS growing taller than you can reach outside a home in Dickson Street Wonthaggi has resulted in Bass Coast Shire sending a hefty clean-up bill to an 85-year-old resident of an aged care home.

Walter Scapin received a letter from Bass Coast Shire twelve months ago claiming the grass around his mother’s home was over 300mm tall and contained noxious weeds.

“I poisoned the weeds myself which takes a little longer,” said Mr Scapin.

The house has mostly been vacant since Mr Scapin’s mother moved into aged care.

“Just after Easter last year my mother received a fine of $395.”

Not satisfied with Mr Scapin’s weed control efforts Bass Coast Shire advised they were going to employ an independent contractor to clean-up the weeds at an additional cost of $719.

“They added that amount to my mother’s rates,” said Mr Scapin.

“My mother can’t pay this.”

According to Mr Scapin six different people have contacted him from Bass Coast Shire.

“I’ve been trying to look after my mother’s property, but I also run a small business.”

Last month council renewed their demand for the payment of $719 but agreed to rescind the initial $395 fine.

“I’m not going to pay for something I already did,” Mr Scapin said.

Mr Scapin helped with his father’s recycling business from the age of twelve.

“My mother and father lived there for 50 years and ran a metal recycling business. Dad used to get complaints about his metal recycling business 30 years ago. It’s been a family business for generations. My father passed away in 2011,” said Mr Scapin.

“It’s got nothing to do with the blackberries and noxious weeds and long grass.”

“I’m going to clean-up the waste metal,” he said.

Mr Scapin said his mother wanted to leave the house to her grandchildren.

“I was in the process of cleaning it up,” Mr Scapin said.

Bass Coast Shire Council said it could not comment on individual property matters.