Also, thanks to The Border Mail for help in promoting the event and 2AY, The River and ABC Radio for highlighting it.

It was a great success, thanks to all the stall holders, and those who came along, all would agree the fireworks were a fantastic end to a great night (not to mention how blessed we were with the weather).

There is a real buzz around Culcairn hoping there will be another one ... well, watch this space!!

The lack of police numbers and patrol cars and the absence of mobile speed cameras in Wodonga has created an open slather approach for speeding drivers over the last 12 months.

I have been reading that recent flooding and potholes are forcing many drivers to slow down and take care. Perhaps this is one way to slow down the hoon drivers in the streets surrounding Wodonga High School. Brockley, Charles and Woodland Streets in our neighbourhood have speeding drivers roaring around day and night.

I wonder if Wodonga Council would consider having several potholes gouged into each of these streets as a way of forcing the hoons to slow down.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Why has it taken so long for the council to fix or make changes to the area of Moorefield Park Drive and Mayfair Drive? The council has told me some months ago by email that they are going to make the owners of OTR Service Station put up exit and entry signs on Moorefield Park Drive, but we still don't have them plus I have emails from the Minister for Local Government and the council that they are going to make changes to the above roads, but we still have not had any changes.

I have sent letters to each councillor asking how such a set-up was approved by council, but not one of them have replied.

Do we have to wait to see someone injured or even killed? We see drivers abusing each other when drivers are doing U-turns and crossing centre unbroken double lines. It's time for action.

Urgent questions need to be asked about the destruction of local councils and the role the Victorian state government has played in this major shift of power via the Local Government Act 2020.

In recent years we have witnessed a significant transfer of authority from not only the community but shire councillors as well. Rubber stamping has become the norm.

Concerned residents who raise issues are treated with contempt rather than respect.

It's a poor state of affairs when community members face not only being expelled from meetings but threats of legal action when they ask uncomfortable but reasonable questions of the council.

Councillors are bound by similar conditions and stringent confidentiality requirements that prevent them from discussing any information they are privy to.

Too much power is now being held by council officers and CEOs who are not held accountable for poor decision making and are not answerable to the ratepayers and business operators in the shire.

Local community-based voluntary council committees have been restructured. Out of town 'experts' are now engaged and are presumably recompensed for their input.

A toxic work environment appears to be the reason for the high turnover of council staff who are, no doubt, seeking the sound management, leadership and accountability offered elsewhere.

Transparency, community engagement and governance policies fall well short of community expectations.

MORE COMMENT

Motorists would be well aware of the terrible condition of country roads in NSW post-flooding etc but are they aware of the cost of replacing their cars' windscreens following chips or cracks from rocks flung up by vehicles? I recently got a cracked windscreen on my small Hyundai sedan and a genuine replacement was quoted at over $1800!

The dealer advised that some windscreens cost up to $4000 for those fitted with hi-tech gadgetry such as cameras, light and rain sensors etc. How is this justified?

Fortunately I had 1 x windscreen replacement per annum covered in my insurance policy but given the state of our roads for the foreseeable future then motorists are at risk of paying these unjustifiably high prices on a regular basis.

To preserve your hard-earned money, please slow down and take extra care when driving on or near road potholes or recent repairs for your sake and other motorists.

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