Study into fire projects

By Kath Gannaway
AN INDEPENDENT audit of recurrent costs will be carried out on more than 30 post-bushfire building projects in Murrindindi Shire.
Projects costing up to $20 million will become a council responsibility on completion and stem from the replacement of damaged or destroyed infrastructure and other projects identified by the community and funded by all levels of government since the February 2009 fires.
Projects in Marysville and Kinglake districts are among those which will be audited to establish the whole-of-life costs which residents in the future may find reflected in their rates.
Murrindindi mayor Peter Beales said the evaluation process was important to ensure wider community understanding of the links between future recurrent costs and council rates.
“Some people are giving considerable thought to projects they would like to see developed in their community without considering future recurrent costs and more importantly, who carries that financial burden,” Cr Beales said.
“In contrast, others in the community are aware and are raising concerns.”
The Gallipoli Park project was one, he said, where some people were asking about council’s capacity to maintain the gardens when developed to the quality set out in the concept plans.
New halls, playgrounds and walking tracks are other examples.
Murrindindi communications manager Norman Fay said one of the factors which needed to be taken into account was that with much of the new building going on, it was not a case of replacing like for like.
The new Narbethong Hall is costed at something like $1.5m, and although it is on DSE land, Murrindindi Council has traditionally maintained and paid costs such as insurance. Cr Beales said the KPMG work would provide a sound information base for discussion and decision. KPMG is expected to report to council this month.