The Mayor's Column
July began with a Good News Week.
Firstly, the Department of Local Government approved Mosman’s application for an infrastructure levy of 5.99% which means an increase to ratepayers of about $85 per annum. There has been extensive publicity and community consultation with overwhelming community support to apply for this, as it is generally acknowledged that rates were very thinly stretched to cover repairs and maintenance to some very old infrastructure. We are an older suburb and some of our infrastructure has borne over a hundred years service.
What this means to us in real terms is that we can now embark on major infrastructure works including fixing our roads and footpaths, storm water network, buildings and marine structures. Every dollar of this levy will be spent on infrastructure, with funds previously earmarked for projects in anticipation of the approval.
Secondly, Council has engaged a contractor to provide to Mosman, Graffiti management services until July 2009 for
- Emergency removal of any offensive graffiti
- Immediate graffiti removal from council property
- Removal of graffiti on private property as soon as possible and within three days (Note that Council will seek a contribution from private property owners to remove existing graffiti identified in an initial audit at a fee commensurate with the cost to Council. Following such removal, the subsequent removal of graffiti from these and other private properties shall be undertaken at no cost to the proivate property owners.
I am hopeful that this rapid response strategy will result in Mosman being virtually graffiti free, which is great news for homes and businesses.
Thirdly, appropriately on the eve of NAIDOC week, Mosman has benefited from a generous donation of an outstanding collection of aboriginal art works from Adrian Newstead, the Director of Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery. There are prints by various Aboriginal artists, including such distinguished figures as Banduk Marika, Philip Gudthaykudthay and Johnny Bulunbulun.
Twenty of these are on exhibition in Mosman Council Chambers and everyone is invited to see them during office hours.
Cr Denise Wilton, Mayor of Mosman
