By Tanya Steele
A recent Council meeting on Tuesday 22 August saw a resident raise concerns over the costs to Yarra Ranges taxpayers for the entire process involved with the Warburton Tree.
Tony Stevenson said he wanted to know as a ratepayer the breakdown of costs associated with the management of Warburton Tree.
“Could the council breakdown the significant expenditure of the tree matter 3457…first in the category of tree safety work including arborists, reports and tree surgery to reduce risk to the public and secondly, all other costs incurred,” he said.
Director of Built Environment and Infrastructure Hjalmar Philipp responded and itemised the costs into the following categories.
Treeworks, $76,495, Security chain and padlocks, $5,091, Traffic Management, $4,000, Fencing, $12,000, Security, $380,000 – which came to a total of $477,586.
“It was tree works 76,495 and the remaining balance being 401,091,” Mr Phillip said.
“All these costs related measures taken as part of the Council’s obligations under the OHS act to address the known and very serious risks arising from the Warburton tree,” he said.
Mr Phillip said that all these costs cost components were significantly increased as a result of delays to undertake the necessary safety work.
“An insurance claim is being pursued in relation to these costs,” he said.
Mr Stevenson then asked the council to clarify the significant expenditure for a single tree in a single town.
“Please explain why the roughly 98% of ratepayers who don’t live in Warburton will be bearing most of the cost,” he said.
Mr Philipp said that costs associated with the Warburton Tree were not forecast in the 22 – 23 operating budgets and therefore came out of the council’s consolidated budget.
“This isn’t built up on a geographic basis and all ratepayers contribute to it,” he said.
Mr Stevenson was contacted by the council on 24 August via email to confirm his question and response from the meeting.
