The status quo on road maintenance in Mitchell Shire seems to remain after a motion to examine Councils current operational budget and staffing levels for preventive maintenance, and reinstatement of basic road infrastructure was defeated.
Cr Bill Chisholm presented the motion to the April meeting of Council seeking a detailed report prepared by council officers and an independent consultant on road maintenance and restoration.
“At the moment we have a small part time drainage team and given the resent weather events it is important that we have a full-time team. From the residents I talk to roads are a major issue,” Cr Chisholm said.
“I am presenting this motion subsequent to feedback from the community.
“Repairs to basic infrastructure such as roads bridges and drainage are extremely expensive and currently there is no real thought or science behind the best and smartest way to get value for money out of each dollar spent,” Cr Chisholm said in his report.
Cr Chisholm estimated the cost of an independent consultant at “around” $150,000 saying that in his opinion it would be money well spent.
He said that he saw community involvement and input as vital for the report.
“This includes seeking of community input into the identification of potential Black Spot funding locations across the Shire,” Cr Chisholm said.
Discussion then turned to the budget impacts of engaging an independent consultant with the majority of Councillors insisting that there should be no outside contractors.
CEO, Brett Luxford expressed concern over the impact if the “significant parcel” of work was transferred to officers.
“It has the potential of taking them off their regular duties, “he said.
An amendment to remove the reference to independent consultants was put to a vote with most councillors voting against – the amendment was lost, and discussion returned to the original motion.
“I don’t think this report is going to get us anywhere we want to go,” Cr Stevens said.
Cr Chisholm referred to his report saying that currently the Shire is underfunding maintenance on basic infrastructure, adding that roads – especially gravel roads – need attention.
This report should come within the remit of this current budget. The estimated costs as supplied by staff is chicken feed when we consider the financial impacts of these weather events on this Shire, Cr Chisholm’s motion read.
“Roads right across the Shire need attention and if you can’t even support the best way to spend your money, I give up,” he added.
The final motion presented for the vote read: That due to the increasing frequency and nature of major weather-related events impacting Mitchell Shire Council:
Officers provide a detailed and independent report that examines Councils current operational budget and staffing levels for preventive maintenance, and reinstatement of basic infrastructure both prior to and following these events. This includes the time taken to reinstate and fully repair the infrastructure and any possible (minor/major ) mitigation measures to forestall future damage. At a minimum basic infrastructure should include roads, (both bitumen and gravel), drainage (both above and below ground and roadsides), bridges and culverts, footpaths etc.
Fully involve and seek community input for this report, especially seeking feedback on “Building Back Better” and other ways of making communities more resilient to these types of events. This includes seeking of community input into the identification of potential “Black Spot“ funding locations across the Shire.
The vote for the motion was put and lost with only Cr Chisholm voting in favour. Councillors Eldridge and Cornish were apologies for the meeting.
It beggars belief that council did not pass this it was a opportunity to get a real report on our roads and the currant costings and into the future, what hope do we have with this negative bunch of councilors