Road seal rage

By Tania Martin
A PLAN to charge Cockatoo residents to seal 35 kilometres of roads around the town has been met with outrage.
Nearby residents are concerned after a flyer outlining a bill of $18,000 each over 15 years was circulated.
The Mail has also received a number of letters about the proposed scheme, with residents fearing the worst.
A flyer is now circulating around the town, outlining the proposed project.
It states that the scheme is going to cost residents $18,000 over 15 years, with an interest rate of eight per cent.
A questionnaire is expected to be sent out this month.
Local man Ralph Markyen said it was ridiculous to expect residents to be able to pay so much.
He said it was especially disturbing because of the current economic crisis.
“Not many people in Cockatoo would be able to afford something like this,” Mr Markyen said.
Mr Markyen said $40 a week for 15 years was a massive imposition on residents.
He said this would equate to more than $30,000 when the eight per cent interest rate was taken into account.
But Cardinia Shire spokesman Paul Dunlop said it was only in the planning stages at the moment.
He said the Cockatoo Township Committee had approached the council to investigate the possibility of introducing the scheme.
Mr Dunlop said it would cost the council in excess of $30 million to go ahead with the plan.
However, he said no costing had been done on how much the residents’ share of the scheme would be.
Mr Dunlop said a meeting was held in September and more were planned for next year.
He said council was aware the issue had become a topic of speculation and misinformation.
“We want to reassure residents that this investigation is still very much in its formative stages,” Mr Dunlop said.
“A range of issues including possible funding options and the scope of works is still being explored.”
But Mr Markyen said residents had been told the questionnaire would be considered a vote for the scheme.
He said they had also been told a failure to respond would be considered a yes vote.
But Mr Dunlop said at this stage the council was only seeking the residents’ views.
He said a project of this magnitude would only get the green light with the support of residents.
“Nothing has been decided and we are still a long way off a decision,” Mr Dunlop said.
“We don’t even know if this will proceed.”