Mayor4Unley

The junction of the Mike Turtur shared path and Musgrave Street @ Goodwood has been revamped giving better line of sight and improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It works well if the cyclists and the pedestrians follow the path and the signs painted on the path. I stood there today for half an hour and watched ... most cyclists just went wherever they wanted: whichever was the shortest route. They are still cutting across the driveway and putting themselves at risk. most pedestrians and joggers did the right thing, but some (a few) also cut across the driveway. What is really needed is a hump or some physical barrier along the edge of the bricked driveway. Full marks to the local resident who has planted the area. It's good to see residents planting and maintaining the verges in their street. Many thanks to the cyclists and pedestrians who have provided me feedback on what works and what doesn't work. I've taken that on-board.

Volunteers are the backbone of most community organisations. At Unley Council there are 400 volunteers who service the community. Many Council services would fold (or be reduced) without the help of volunteers. I salute all of these volunteers ... from bus drivers to home services to the library ... the list just goes on. I was delighted to read that one of the best new release camellias has been called Volunteer to honour the volunteers across Australia. This camellia has gloriously ruffled blooms. They really are quite different with petals that open a soft pink with white at the edge. As the season progresses, the colour deepens and retains a white edge. The centre of the flower is heavily textured and has a pin cushion in shape. The bush grows to 2m in height. If you're thinking of planting a camellia then consider the Volunteer .

I am running for Mayor of Unley. The Council election is in Oct-Nov 2018. Voting will be by postal vote. My forecast is that there will be huge number of new Councillors with up to 9 new faces at Unley . Some say that there will only be 6-8 new faces. This will be the biggest change of faces at Unley in over two decades! With such a new Council, the Mayor will need to have discipline and be a strong leader to facilitate changes initiated by Council. I am committed to listening to you and providing strong leadership. I encourage you to tell me your concerns . I'm a good listener.

Unley Cr Mike Hudson posted the following on his blog ... It may be drawing a long bow, as the saying goes, but …in this current climate of alleged  graft and corruption at third-tier Government level…could not complimentary tickets to (say) footy matches hold an inherent threat? Or are they regarded as a necessary aid for  Councillors to mix and mingle? Where do you draw the line? Sounds crazy? It isn’t. In the current burgeoning, over-zealous bureaucracy, anything goes!!! I posted the following comment ... Mike, this also bothers me. Freebies always get paid by someone. Invariably it’s those who can least afford it. At Council functions including lunch before the football, it’s paid for by the ratepayers. Free tickets for the football are paid for by either the Council or the Club; ultimately paid for by ratepayers or Club members. It’s a personal dilemma that we all need to resolve. Surely if we go to the football then we can buy...

Another cafe opens in Goodwood. Actually it’s nearby in Forestville, on Leader Street next to the train line. The cafe called Two Sparrows has grand plans, is open 7 days, and I hope it does well. I like the idea of running classes on bread and cheese making; acting as a community hub. get more info here

Fixed. The Mike Turtur cycle/pedestrian Shared Path at the Leah Street intersection with the tram line at Forestville has a new painted section saying ‘ Keep Clear ’. Now, when the boom gates are down, cars don’t queue across the narrow path for pedestrians and cyclists.  This enables the foot and bike traffic to cut across the queued motorists. I had received numerous requests to get it fixed. A simple solution that is working well. The shared path crossing is near the Dear Daisy cafe (on the corner). #Unley #cycle

The State Government has commenced public consultation on the proposed Kaufland mega supermarket on Anzac Highway @ Everard Park/Forestville. However, the catch is that only residents (and businesses) within 60m of the development may formally comment. This is totally outrageous. So many residents who will be impacted can not have a say. I would have thought that the new Liberal Government would have quickly changed the State planning process. This consultation is a joke #saparli. This development has the potential to severely impact residents over a wide radius, especially to the south in all the side streets off Leader Street. There must be a rigorous independent traffic management plan before approval is granted. The high volume of vehicle movements at this site warrants the traffic study. Residents are encouraged to meet with those living within 60m and pass on their concerns which may then be formally submitted. You may also pass on your concerns to me and I will ende...