Mayoral Matters March 2021

Published on 22 March 2021

What a difference a month makes, it seems like everything is starting to return to some sort of normal. There was talk of 100,000 at the MCG on Thursday, I hope this easing of restrictions will be reflected in the country and broader areas also where we are still wearing masks in the supermarket and interstate travellers are still gun shy about crossing the borders. It is pleasing to see the return of events in our shire with a bare foot ski event in Dimboola, two off road race events in Rainbow, one, a new seven round national event, football about to restart and bowls clubs functioning again.

We have funding submissions in for cabins at our caravan parks, Nhill tennis club rooms and a request to resubmit fund application for the grandstand and club rooms at Davis Park, very exciting if any, some or all are successful.

Our Shire are meeting with a wide range of industry leaders, business owners, VFF and farmers across the shire to discuss and resolve the issues around B Double access. Community consultations are in progress at the moment also.

The legal documents for a recreational lake in Rainbow are close to being finalised with a lake committee chafing at the bit to get started, certainly a very enthusiastic group.

Jeparit Library is nearing completion and tenders have closed for the construction of a new library/ shire office in Rainbow.

Tenders for the design and construct of the Albacutya Bridge will be put forward at the April council meeting. Discussions with the community on this bridge began close to seven years ago and our then CEO suggested it would be very difficult to get a two-lane bridge but that is what the farmers in the area needed for their machinery. Thank you all that have made this a reality, it is also very timely as gypsum cartage out of the area have become a massive problem with the sheer volume of trucks using a very unsatisfactory bypass.

In closing, I can reassure everyone that there will be a lot of new developments across our entire shire in the next twelve/eighteen months.

Cr Ron Ismay
Mayor