DANGEROUSLY long grass on council-owned reserves in Coongulla has been mowed, following a report which appeared in last Friday’s Gippsland Times.
More than 90 residents had petitioned Wellington Shire Council to act urgently and mow long grass on council land in and around Coongulla.
“With the fire season upon us for the 2012-2013 season, it is imperative that these parcels of land as shown on the attached maps are mowed prior to the Christmas season,” the petition stated.
Council was due to respond to the petition at its December 18 meeting, but a Coongulla resident has reported that the area had now been cleaned up.
At its December 5 meeting, Cr Carolyn Crossley proposed council accept the petition, her motion receiving no opposition from other councillors.
“The small rural communities are very concerned about this particular season, about the amount of regenerated growth, waist high,” she said.
“I know there is great difficulty for the officers and teams to get around all these places, but it does make them (the communities) nervous when they are told by the CFA what the season is going to be like, when you have to prepare early.
“They are feeling very vulnerable when the council land (is overgrown).”
A concerned Coongulla resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said while council processes meant there was a need to send a request form to have crews come out, the community had an expectation of municipalities to just go out and do the work.
A council spokesperson said a council contractor had completed the mowing work at Coongulla as part of the regular mowing schedule.
She said residents could check the mowing schedule in council’s regular Gippsland Times advertisement on page two in Tuesday issues.
