Council grilled 25 times
THERE were no fewer than 25 community questions submitted an answered at last week’s Bass Coast Shire Council as they remain the most significant feature of the monthly meeting.
Issues as diverse as Gippsland Pride, the urban roads and drainage policy, affordable housing, the Environment Fund, council’s electric vehicles and the mayoral chains were queried with council providing some revealing answers.
Vale Murray Argent
CORINELLA and Bass farmer Murray Argent was remembered in an account of his life by the Mayor Cr Clare Le Serve at last Wednesday’s council meeting.
She noted he was a talented local sportsman, in cricket, football and bowls, being awarded a life of the Kilcunda-Bass Cricket Club having started the junior program there with school teacher Daryl Mills.
His family and community connections were also remembered and reprinted in the shire minutes.
Gippsland Pride liaison
IN ANSWER to a question at Bass Coast Council last week, from Taylah Ling about access to the Rainbow Brick Road Report and liaison with the Gippsland Pride Initiative, the Bass Coast Shire Council was able to advise it was fully engaged.
“Council liaises with Gippsland Pride Initiative and other key sector stakeholders through service provider networks when required. Council does not provide funding to The Gippsland Pride Initiative.”
Majority decision on roads
BASS Coast Council received a number of questions about its urban roads and drainage policy and the new push by property owners in individual streets, especially at Surf Beach and Sunderland Bay, seeking to have their roads and drainage upgraded.
Louise Lyell wanted to know if residents who didn’t want the works would be forced to contribute if a majority of residents supported the works.
The answer is yes.
“If a road and drainage upgrade project is supported for construction, then all property owners adjacent to the upgrade who receive a special benefit will be required to pay a charge through a special charge scheme. Council will also contribute to these projects based on benefits received by the wider community,” said council in response.
Will you test for contamination?
IN LIGHT of the ‘Wonthaggi contaminated soils fiasco', Philip Davy, asked the Bass Coast Council last week if it would be testing for contamination prior to street and drainage works going ahead on the Surf Berach and Sunderland Bay estates.
Council replied that some testing had already been carried out.
“A sample of street soil pavement testing and acid sulphate testing were undertaken to assist development of cost estimates for the previously unsupported special charge scheme. Further testing and a construction management plan for acid sulphate soils was planned for during construction, which is common practice for coastal area development.”