The land was being offered for sale at approximately 10 per cent of the 2004 Logic per-square-metre sale price. A very substantial decline and scarcely the value it represents.

Council has considered a value analysis prepared by an independent individual. This process considered all of the factors necessary to arrive at a position that both properly and fairly represented value for the people of our city.

The valuation provided by the very capable independent individual concluded that the offer is not a good deal for the people of Wodonga. In my opinion the capacity of council staff to properly assess the transaction value is questionable.

Your correspondent Graham Walker suggested that "the 1939 bushfires would have been just as catastrophic as 2020 if you took into the actual value of currency applicable to that era" suggesting that "the cost is obviously going to be higher each decade" (Border Mail letters, January 29).

I'd suggest the recent ones are clearly more expensive, whatever the value of the currency.

The 1939 "Black Friday" fire was contained within Victoria, largely in one day (13 January, 1939) and burnt an area of about 2 million hectares damaging or destroying 3700 buildings.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The 2019/20 summer fires were a continent-wide collection of fires that burnt 18.6 million hectares from November to February and destroyed 5900 buildings.

The main difference between them both, (apart from the obviously greater scale and therefore cost of the recent one) is that the 1939 one occurred when the average global temperature was about one degree cooler than it is now.

Well done to the Victorian government in regards to the drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility announced for Wangaratta.

Now it is the turn of the NSW government to build a much-needed drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Albury.

It has been talked about for far too long, and action is needed.

I write in reference to councillor Murray King's suggestion that councillors being aged over 70 are too old, and that councillors should be able to stand for only three terms.

All I can say is you cannot buy experience.

I know of one female councillor - Lilliane Brady - who is 90 and has been involved with NSW local government for 40 years, and the mayor of Cobar shire for 40 years.

We need older people who can show councillors the ropes on entering local govt for the first time. And hence gain experience.

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