Projects added before council adopts budget

But, after receiving 54 submissions during its community consultation period, council made some changes before adopting the final document.

An additional $220,000 has been allocated to the road reconstruction program, taking the program total to $1.17 million.

Other new additions include an extra $200,000 for recreation design works to look at future development options for Warragul and Trafalgar soccer infrastructure; $50,000 for a footpath in Balfour Rd, Drouin to link Chairo Christian School and Princes Way; $25,000 towards a business case to assess Walhalla sewerage needs and $15,000 for design works for a footpath in Walhalla.

The budget represents income of $86.8 million and expenditure of $75.1 million.

Council will raise $57 million in rates and charges and 38 per cent of its revenue will be spent on capital works.

Waste service charges increase 2.1 per cent to $384.

More than half of the capital works program will be spent on roads, with $11.8 million allocated.

The roads investment includes $2.7 million for road upgrade of Old Sale Rd; $1.2 million for Smith St streetscape between Queen and Palmerston Sts; $1.1 will million for road reconstruction works across the shire, $1.2 million for shire wide gravel road resheet works; $1.8 million for shire wide road resealing works; $900,000 for major pavement repairs and $700,000 for road upgrade/sealing works.

However, part of the recommendation adopted by council was to review the budget allocation to Old Sale Rd. A report will be presented at a later meeting.

Cr Danny Goss said the budget was the result of a long consultation that began after Christmas.

“Some areas I am not happy with but that’s a democracy.

Cr Goss said council had worked in a rate capped environment and this year’s income from rates was 2.25 per cent more than last year.

He said council had to provide the services ratepayers expected and there was only so much it could do with the money.

Cr Goss listed the costs of services provided by council including parks and gardens $3.2 million, libraries $2 million, the arts centre $1 million, urban maintenance $1.2 million, pools $1 million and wages $27 million.

“It’s alright to say we collect more but it goes out. In my view council spends nowhere near enough on capital, especially renewal of assets.

“We are experiencing a quicker deterioration of our assets because we are spending money elsewhere.

“The community needs to have the conversation about what decisions they want us to make.

“Would we rather spend money on capital or family day care or on youth services. This is where choices have to be made,” he said.

Cr Goss said $27.6 million being spent on staff this year was $2.4 million more than the previous year.

“People keep telling me this is a lot and we need to cut employee costs.

“An enterprise bargaining agreement through the year counts for a lot of that increase.

“My feeling is the shire isn’t over staffed. This is a growing shire and we need to provide the services,” he said.

Cr Mikaela Power agreed council had to have conversations with the community about budget priorities.

“We have to make sure the money goes to the right places and is spent wisely and well. We need to have that conversation,” she said.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell said the budget included a robust capital works program.

“We are desperately trying to keep and maintain the service levels that we need to provide.

“We are running a lean organisation and punching above our weight,” she said.

Cr Michael Leaney said he was pleased to see money available in the budget for small communities.

He said the new Place Maker program was very important for people living in those small communities.

Cr Peter Kostos said the 2.25 per cent increase was on the rate revenue. He said some people’s property rates would go up and some would go down.

Cr Tricia Jones said the most complaints she received was about roads and how works were prioritised.

She said council was reviewing its matrix for road priorities.

Cr Keith Cook said he was pleased the focus was slowly coming back to roads.

“People keep telling us they aren’t happy with the roads,” he said.