Murray Bridge council watch: Riverglades wetland handover completed
Plus councillors slam the state government for its failures on cats, agree on names for 18 new roads, hand out more than $250,000 in event sponsorships and more.
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The final stage in the Murray Bridge council’s takeover of the Riverglades Community Wetland has been completed.
On Monday night, councillors approved a community land management plan for the area, three years after a local residents’ association agreed to sell the property.
They didn’t make any significant changes to a draft version of the plan that was put out for public consultation earlier this year.
However, they did note residents’ concerns about:
- How infrequently the grass was mowed
- Snakes, pests and weeds
- The impact of any new paths on the environment and residents’ views
Cr Karen Eckermann said the comments made by 26 residents who gave feedback on the plan were the most thoughtful and intellectual she had seen in her 10 years on the council.
State government urged to step up on cat management
Meanwhile, councillors have slammed the state government for failing to set statewide regulations on domestic cats.
A review of the Dog and Cat Management Act is going on at the moment, but the government has not proposed any statewide cat curfew or other cat-related changes.
That was not good enough, council CEO Heather Barclay suggested.
Councils across the state had spent years delaying their own plans while they waited for this review, she said.
At the very least, she said, owners should be required to register their cats, just like dogs, so that councils would have the power to seize, impound and return them as needed.
Cr Karen Eckermann said she, too, was “very disappointed”, while Cr Tom Haig said the state government’s inaction was like a “slap in the face”.
Three quarters of South Australians wanted a cat curfew, Cr Haig said.
Eleven events granted $258k worth of sponsorship
Murray Bridge’s council has agreed to dedicate almost $258,000 worth of sponsorships to 11 major events scheduled to take place in the district in 2024-25:
- Pedal prix: $140,000
- Autofest: $22,000
- Country by the River: $16,000
- PGA Classic: $15,000
- Murray Bridge Triathlon: $15,000
- Riverfront Christmas festival: $15,000
- Murray Bridge Marathon: $10,000
- Rowing SA regional regatta: $7750
- Gold Cup: $6000
- SA cycling state championships: $4000
Also given $5000 was Smoke on the Water, a new, two-day barbecue event to be held in Murray Bridge and other River Murray towns, including Shepparton and Wodonga.
Between them, the events are expected to bring tens of thousands of visitors to the district over the next 12 months.
However, councillors asked staff to provide more information about event sponsorship applications in future, including business cases.
New road names approved
Eighteen new road names were approved by councillors on Monday night as housing developments continue to pop up around Murray Bridge:
- McFarlane Street at Newbridge
- Vista Way, Riverbreeze Way, Dairy Drive, Pasture Place, Meadow Way, Jersey Street, Harvest Lane, Holstein Street and Sunrise Crescent at Narooma Rise
- Harrington Court, off Hindmarsh Road, after an early South Australian settler
- Young Court, Piper Court and Keane Court, off Ellendale Avenue, after former members of Murray Bridge Racing Club’s committee
- Gerardo Court, off Grassmere Drive, after Gerardo Penta, one of the founding members of the Murray Bridge Italian Club
- Merino Circuit and Cormo Court, off Virgo Road, after breeds of sheep
In addition, a private road at White Sands, known locally as Off Hann Road, will formally be named Vineyard Lane.
Cars cleared to park in swimming centre bus zone in winter
Hungry bakery customers will soon be able to find car parks more easily.
On Monday night, councillors agreed to remove a bus parking zone on Flavel Terrace, outside Murray Bridge Swimming Centre, while the centre was closed for the winter.
A 30-minute time limit will apply instead.
Cr Andrew Baltensperger hoped the change would make it easier for locals to get a feed: “Anyone who’s tried to get a savoury slice and driven around the block less than four times deserves a medal”.
Community members appointed to committee
Two community members have been appointed to a committee which advises councillors on grant funding, the arts, tourism, youth and all sorts of other issues.
Rowena Fox and Angela Venturi will both join the community advisory committee in September.
They were the only two applicants for two vacancies on the committee.
Councillor pushes back on home office costs
Ratepayers shouldn’t be paying $16,500 for home office set-ups for Murraylands and Riverland Local Government Association staff, a Murray Bridge councillor says.
Cr Airlie Keen pushed back against that part of a proposed budget for the organisation, which coordinates activities between the region’s councils, at Monday’s council meeting.
MRLGA staff should be asked to work out of council offices instead, councillors agreed.
