There was a muted response when the full story of an almost $5m Federal Government grant was revealed at a special meeting of Wattle Range Council in Millicent on Tuesday night.
The agenda had listed one item of correspondence from Trade Minister Senator Don Farrell stating the council was to receive $4.81m under the Roads to Recovery Program.
No further information was provided by Senator Farrell and it was up to council deputy chief executive Paul Duka to explain.
He said the grant was for the next five years and represented an annual increase of around $400,000.
Mr Duka said the Roads to Recovery Grant for the previous five years had been $2.73m.
“That is not nearly as exciting,” Councillor Dale Price said.
However, a greater level of enthusiasm for Senator Farrell’s announcement was shown by Deputy Mayor Cr Peter Dunnicliff.
“It is a welcome surprise,” Cr Dunnicliff said.
Mr Duka suggested the windfall grant monies could be used to offset escalated costs for labour and materials on road maintenance or else reduce council’s anticipated deficit.
“We have a full dance card in terms of projects in the next financial year,” Mr Duka said.
Meanwhile, much of the 80-minute meeting was devoted to the verbal and written feedback to the draft 2024/25 budget.
Southend residents wrote about footpaths and coastal erosion in the seaside village.
A Penola farming family said the higher council rates would create further hardship for the rural sector which was already suffering from the absence of rain
There was a delegation from a group who are advocating the upgrade of Lions Park in Millicent with a perimeter track, toilets, community garden and a playground.
It draws its members from the Millicent Lions Club, Unity Housing, Wattle Range Council and local residents.
The five-member delegation was headed by Millicent Lions Club president David Taylor who said the 2024/25 council budget needed to set aside significant funds for the Lions Park project.
A councillor suggested an approach be made to a particular industry sector for sponsorship and then described it in an unflattering manner.
Mayor Des Noll intervened, stated the remark was inappropriate and asked for it to be withdrawn.
The councillor did so and apologised.
The tone of the meeting was lightened considerably a short time later when the mobile phone of another councillor was activated.
Instead of a ringing tone, it loudly played the Dusty Springfield 1960s song “Son of a Peacher Man”.
The councillor tried to silence the mobile phone but only succeeded in having it play even louder through their laptop.
At the conclusion of the formal meeting, the elected members remained in the chamber for a closed workshop with an employment consultant.
They conducted the annual performance appraisal of council chief executive Ben Gower.
