There is a new voice in the Penola area for local residents, with the first meeting of the newly formed ratepayers and residents association.
The Penola and District Ratepayers and Residents Association Incorporated held its first general meeting on Monday evening.
Committee president Jodi Strother said at the meeting the group went through the constitution the executive committee was responsible for reviewing.
“There was some feedback towards that and a couple more minor alterations but we believe that has been finalised now so that will be submitted,” Ms Strother said.
“The previous constitution was actually out of date, so this is to make sure we are up to speed with the required legislation of the association.
“The group of people that were there were predominantly the core group that have attended all the meetings, so it was a relatively small gathering but hopefully with the public becoming aware of the aim of the association, we will get some momentum going and people will want to become more involved.
Making a surprise visit to the meeting was Wattle Range Mayor Des Noll, who discussed some of the group’s issues.
“It is pleasing to know that ratepayers are talking about their concerns and sharing these concerns with council,” Mayor Noll said.
“This consultation brings a high level of transparency to the process and creates a better understanding between council and community.”
Ms Strother said an issue raised was the long grass around Penola and the outskirts in the midst of fire season.
“We did actually discuss that at length, there’s quite a few blocks even in town that are part of the council-owned land that have still got some long grass in them,” she said.
“There is a little bit of uncertainty about what is state government and what is local council on the outskirts.
“So we need to seek a bit more advice on whose responsibility these sections actually are so they may be addressed.”
Ms Strother believed the Penola and District Ratepayers and Residents Association would be a valuable tool for local councillors and said bringing council plans into the public eye would be a major focus for the group so they could observe what was happening in their area.
“Our whole aim is to work with council and to get the things that we see as priorities as a community perhaps prioritised with council as well, as opposed to the decisions happening without much input,” she said.
The group boundary would remain as the old Penola council area, which incorporates Kalangadoo and Nangwarry.
Another meeting will be held on March 6 and Ms Strother encouraged people to join the group.
Email penrar5277@outlook.com for enquiries.
