MOUNT Gambier City Council will add $52,000 to its 2018/19 budget following a last minute deputation from a member of the public at a special meeting last week.
After a line-by-line review of the draft document, Mayor Andrew Lee granted leave of the meeting to allow former elected member Paul Jenner to address the council.
“I think you have done a very good job with the budget, however there are a couple of things I think you need to have a look at,” Mr Jenner said.
“On John Street, which is directly behind Woolworths, the footpath needs to be upgraded in an easterly direction.
“It is a very old bitumen path that is very dangerous and a number of elderly residents use it.
“I spoke with city infrastructure general manager Nick Serle and he estimated it would cost around $13,000 and a further $1000 for an extra pram crossing.”
He commended council for the “excellent” footpath on Wireless Road East, which runs between Kennedy Avenue and Penola Road.
“That path is a real connector and I have seen countless people using it already,” Mr Jenner said.
“If you spend another $31,000 in this year’s budget to connect that path to the footpath on Kennedy Avenue that ends at Red Oak Place, the footpath will effectively become one big loop.
“Right now people can almost walk a complete lap of Conroe Heights, but there is this small section of path missing.
“If you add this to the budget this financial year, people will be able to walk from Conroe Drive to Wireless Road and from Wireless Road to Suttontown Road.
“For a relatively small expense, I think that will deliver a big benefit to residents.”
Council voted for the draft business plan and budget to be developed for adoption by council at a special meeting to be held on July 3, with the addition of a further amount to carry out work on the footpaths on John Street and Kennedy Avenue for an additional estimated cost of $52,000.
