The Natives are restless as Council gets closer to having something to put out to public consultation. This is understandable as no news can give rise to contemplating and therefore second guessing.

My understanding is Council will be briefed late this year or early next year with the finding of the Option 3 proposals the detail for which has been worked on for the last year or so. The sooner the better as far as I am concerned. Because the sooner we have something to consider and for the public also to consider, the less the residents who may be impacted will be needlessly stressed.

Option 3 was an attempt to find a resolution of the 20% of the overall scheme that the five Councils could not agree on. That means we agreed on 80%, which was important to avoid the Stormwater Management Authority jumping in and determining unilaterally what will and will not happen.

The Unley Council has been admonished recently by a number of residents in and around Millswood, who would be impacted significantly by Option 3, for selling them down the drain. Guys, let me assure you that simply is not the case.

Unley Council did what I believe to be the only sensible option available to it at that time. Under the weight of extreme and widespread public concern about the use of a dam and what it would do to significant trees in the area of the dam (amongst other things) we needed to at least be receptive to looking at other options. It would have been irresponsible to do otherwise. To do otherwise also would have made Unley the bad guys.

This concern resulted in a petition that went to all of the five councils and included (I know because they have told me face to face) residents in the Millswood area. Yes! Our own people were telling us no dam.

Little did these residents at the time realise what price they personally might have to pay. They do now as their neighbours gear up for a fight.

I personally have always been of the volition that the cost to Unley to save the environment where the dam was proposed would be far greater than what was trying to be avoided. I always felt that we could lose 500 significant trees, or more, to save the 5 or 6 up at the dam site. But you know what. I am astute enough to let the experts bring us a report that shows this to be the case rather than show myself up as the expert and arguing against all those people, noting that I had representation from members of the Mitcham Council tell me otherwise.

So the time is nearing when we get the results of the investigation into the feasibility of Option 3. When this happens the entire Unley Council will be keen to hear and obtain your input.

“You must not only present with passion to Unley Council, but all 5 councils like the no dam people previously did. And importantly you need to let the Mitcham Council know your feelings because they are the ones pursuing and promoting option 3 and need to hear that there is another side to that storey”.