Author: Ingrid

TASMANIA’S longest-serving Mayor, Brighton’s Tony Foster has announced his intention to retire on June 30 next year.

Cr Foster, who has served on Council for 35 years and the past 27 years as Mayor, last night advised Council of his intention to retire. Cr Foster said he was announcing his decision now to allow for a smooth and orderly transition to a new leadership.

The Mayor has overseen significant growth and development in Brighton over the past three and a half decades.

BRIGHTON Council, with all Tasmanian councils, has been impacted by the loss of promised dividends from its investment in TasWater, as well as unprecedented costs of responding to the COVID-19 emergency.

TasWater is owned by local government, with the State Government taking a minority stake following its cash injection agreed in 2018. Councils had already accepted a reduction in dividends to assist the water and sewerage corporation’s accelerated 10-year capital program.

The dividend was suddenly halved last financial year. This year, the dividend payment has been cut completely.

TasWater was established in 2013, with councils handing over their water and sewerage infrastructure, built and paid for by ratepayers, in return for ‘guaranteed’ dividend payments every year.

BRIGHTON Council’s Gerald Smith has been a familiar face around the Municipality and you can understand why. He has just clocked up 40 years with Council as its leading hand – roads.

In an era where five years in the same job is a long time for many, 40 years seems like a lifetime.

By PETER GEARD* 

TASMANIA’S weather can be wild and become severe sometimes without warning. Residents in our wonderful municipality can help to reduce the potential for damage to property and lives just by taking a few small steps. 

Firstly, prepare yourself and property. Secondly, take notice of all-weather forecasts regarding flooding, high winds or severe storms, heatwaves and bushfires. You can reduce any damage to property or harm to life by minimising the effect of weather.

For floods ensure all gutters and downpipes are clean, drains are sufficiently cleared to cope with surface and underground water. Beware of mulch and bushes that can block drains. Never drive through flooded water. Brighton SES had to rescue two elderly residents only recently). Do not walk in flooded areas as water can be contaminated and drains or holes hidden. Listen to broadcast warnings or check Tasmanian weather websites and heed the advice.

If high winds and severe storms are forecast ensure you secure all loose items in your yard, especially trampolines and outdoor furniture. Be aware of any trees that overhang fences or that can cause damage by falling limbs. Shelter from hailstorms and put vehicles undercover to prevent any damage. Remember to listen to warnings.

BRIGHTON’S Angela Wilton is a woman on a mission. As a single parent of a child with autism, Angela has had to fight hard over the years to try to access services for her son, Michael, who is now 21 years old.

As a result of her personal battles, Angela decided to organise a Disabilities Day Out for the Brighton Municipality to try to gauge how many people in the area needed services.

“After years of struggling to get services in the local area I thought it was time that we looked at what is needed here and that is why I decided to organise this special day so that we could see what our community needs,” Angela said.

“It is really hard and there should be a lot more resources and facilities available so that people don’t have to travel long distances to access them.

AS Brighton Council’s new climate resilience officer Mel Fitzpatrick believes local government plays an important role in implementing climate change action.

Mel who studied physics at Sydney University before completing a PhD in geophysics is also a PhD in glaciology and was Australia’s first female glaciologist to conduct fieldwork on glaciers in Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica.

BRIGHTON Municipality’s respected farm produce store Fehlberg’s Produce has been keeping the community stocked with farm products for almost 40 years, and it’s still going strong.

Fehlberg’s Produce first started trading in 1982 when father, Ivan, and son, Ivan John, opened the farm shop selling the business’s quality grown products, oaten and Lucerne chaff, hay, straw and grain to the general public.  

“Chaff was cut weekly with the help of local farmers and bags were hand sewn for a number of years. The business soon expanded to include equestrian supplies, racing harness, tack, horseshoes, farrier supplies, dog and cat food, agricultural sprays, animal health supplies, birds, poly pipe and fittings, pumps, electrical fencing, fencing wire, Koppers logs and gates, advantage feeders,” John Fehlberg said.

FOUR Tasmanian councils comprising the South Central Sub-region are joining forces to improve job opportunities and business growth for their respective municipal areas.

The Brighton, Central Highlands, Derwent Valley and Southern Midlands Councils have launched a unique workforce development initiative to increase employment opportunities for people in the four municipalities while at the same time provide potential employers with suitably trained, employment-ready employees.

Following a grant of almost $400,000 from the Tasmanian Community Fund, a full-time coordinator has been appointed for an initial three-year term and has begun working with the councils to improve employment outcomes in the sub-region.

The newly appointed workplace development coordinator, Anthony McConnon, was most recently a senior manager with employment consultants Searson Buck and has extensive experience in a range of industry sectors.