We’d love to use the pound
In June last year the council in its wisdom decided to close down the Wodonga pound, despite spending ratepayers’ money weeks before to revamp the facility by painting the entire pound, replacing the sewerage that needed to be done two years ago, fixing all the broken beds and doors and putting up solar panels on the roof.
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The pound was put up for tender and Wodonga dog rescue were asked if we wanted to put in a tender but declined as we didn't want to work under the council banner and we didn't want to run it as a business.
We have been running as a rescue successfully, but because it is hard to find foster carers we have approached the council to ask if we could use the pound. We were told no. Since then I have written to Anna Speedie and all the councillors and received only one reply.
No one else has bothered to contact me. Our request was that we actually pay rent to use the facilities and we were still told no, the building will not be reopening.
We don't want to use it as a pound. We want to open it as a community facility where we can have some of our dogs and have volunteers and other groups come down and help and socialise with the animals.
It is so wrong to have this perfectly good building sitting empty when we have even said we will maintain the upkeep and put in heating and cooling.
Peta McRae
We need a re-think
Councils have been forced by governments of many years to undertake more and more responsibilities that they never used to have to do, and without adequate compensation.
Rates and other financial payments for various services plus often hard-fought for grants and some government project payments are the usual way councils try to cope in providing maintenance and services.
In a perfect world, no fair-minded person would object to a 5.55 per cent rate increase and those who can, do it willingly in order to see projects and services done and maintained. There are however, in the community, those who are struggling with the increasing rise in the cost of living, especially to pay for power bills, which admittedly affects council as well, who feel they should be quarantined from any further rise in rates they already struggle to pay.
These in particular are pensioners, low-paid income earners, and even still there are some farmers and some small businesses, many of which try to contribute to worthy community causes, but may not be able to anymore with such a high rate increase.
Last budget, council put into place commendable cost-cutting measures. Now is not the time to discontinue these incentives.
Barry D Thomson, Tallangatta
Time to listen
Once again the residents and ratepayers have been ignored by the arrogant administration of Federation Council. With the most important of local government elections coming up on September 9, there is not one polling booth at either Boree Creek or Morundah.
Why should residents have to drive a 100-kilometre round trip to vote in person?
Many people out this way do not have internet access and still want their right to vote at a polling booth in their village. This administration can not go quick enough. So much for improved services, what a joke.
David Fahey, Morundah Hotel
There is an alternative
I read complaints about no reliable train service to Melbourne but no one mentions the XPT. It is very reliable and fast.
Audrey Harry, Lavington
Letter of the week
The winner of the letter of the week is Terry Smyth, of Wodonga. You can collect your prize from the offices of The Border Mail at 1 McKoy Street in Wodonga.