MOUNT Gambier City Council will write to the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and transport Minister Stephan Knoll about ongoing maintenance of state-managed median strips.
Council maintains the lawn on all median strips and grass verges owned by the state at a cost of more than $60,000 each year.
Councillor Paul Jenner raised the issue at this month’s operational standing committee meeting.
“At the moment we are losing a lot of money and this is something we need to address,” Cr Jenner said.
“We are mowing all the median strips, the verges in front of their land and doing all the street sweeping.
“This is at a great cost to us and is not being reimbursed by the state.”
City infrastructure general manager Nick Serle confirmed the cost burden.
“We requested $80,000 this financial year from DPTI and they wrote back and said they would pay us $14,000,” Mr Serle said.
“This has been going on for some time.
“Last year our request for a $60,000 reimbursement was also met with $14,000.
“They pay a lot less than it is costing us to do it.”
Cr Jenner suggested council write to both DPTI, Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell and Transport Minister Stephan Knoll to address the issue.
“The problem is if we refuse to maintain these areas the community will not be impressed,” he said.
“I think we need to take this beyond the bureaucratic level and go to the minister.
“We are spending a lot of money and this is not our responsibility.”
