General News
15 September, 2024
Daryl wants to be part of the change
DARYL Scherger is no stranger to Ararat Advocate readers.
DARYL Scherger is no stranger to Ararat Advocate readers.
He reliably sends us a Letter to the Editor each week and covers a range of topics and issues.
He told us this week he has decided to take the plunge by nominating for a spot of Ararat Rural City Council.
“I’ve raised numerous concerns and suggestion for improving Ararat (through Letters to the Editor) but if I want to anything to change then I need to be part of that change.
“If elected, my priority will be a more balanced approach to development with an emphasis on a more liveable community that's both climate and energy resilient.
Mr Scherger said a recent case of a homeless mother and her child promped him to run.
“The thing that tipped me over the edge was a few months ago when I heard a story of a young woman with a young child sleeping in a car out at Green Hill Lake because she had no where else to go and I knew the nurses residence at Aradale was sitting vacant while people were living in their cars. That’s just wrong.
“I contacted our local member Martha, not interested, I contacted Dan Tehan, not interested and the council didn’t seem that interested and I though, someone has to do something,” he said.
Mr Scherger believes Ararat has done reasonably well over recent years.
“I think it (council) has certainly done its job, I’ve had a quick look at the budget and it looks pretty healthy, they haven’t done a bad job.
“While rate freezes are popular with ratepayers, the efficiency can only go so far and you get to a point where you think what has been cut, what services have been cut, what maintenance is being done.
“If I am elected I think I have laid out (through Letters to the Editor) the things I am interested in.
Mr Scherger said he supported sensible development but was concerned some building projects have seen over development.
“I think people are concerned by the amount of small lot subdivisions with multiple developments on the same block. I don’t want Ararat to end up like Winter Valley or Lucas.
“I want Ararat to be the sort of place where people come to visit and say, ‘I wouldn’t mind living here’.
“As a town, Ararat is as good as any town in regional Victoria, it has a great health service, the train service is immaculate, highway access and some good industries,” he said.
Mr Scherger said he has been a long supporter of renewable energy and would like to see council become more proactive.
“I’ve been a big advocate of bioenergy. We’ve got a great cropping industry, huge amounts of straw grown and burnt each year, a massive waste of energy. Why not use that in a community owned energy facility like Hepburn where the benefits come back to the town,” he said.
“Hopefully, voters will agree with my goals and support me at the upcoming election,” Mr Scherger said.