July 27, 2007: Ararat’s already vibrant business community is set to receive additional support from a revitalised Ararat Regional Business Association.

At this week’s annual meeting, Barkly street retailer Robert Bates was elected president of the Association and will be joined by an executive committee that has a wealth of business and community knowledge.

The new and revitalised ARBA will receive support from Ararat Rural City Council, working closely with its economic development unit and MASH unit.

Mr Bates said that ARBA will endeavour to include other organisations and industries within Ararat and the municipality and offer benefits to the membership which will help businesses to improve and move ahead.

‘‘It is important for the Association to be functional and relevant to business and the community. It must listen to members’ concerns and ideas for the coming year,’’ he said.

July 25, 2008: The recommendation by consultant architects that Kokoda Park be the site of the proposed new aquatics and indoor recreation facility was met with opposition at a public meeting on Monday.

More than 50 people attended the meeting, many voicing their opposition to the Kokoda Park recommendation.

The recommendation comes after almost five years of discussion and 12 months of research and community consultation.

The meeting was addressed by Steven Cheney from Suters Prior Cheney Architects, who prepared the report ‘Building a Better Future Together - Recreation and Aquatics in Ararat’, which recommended that Kokoda Park be the preferred location for a new indoor recreation and aquatics facility, over the Alexandra Oval precinct.

The architects also recommended that council continue to develop a masterplan for the Alexandra Oval Reserve, developing it as council’s premier outdoor sporting precinct incorporating football, cricket, tennis, netball and other outdoor sports.

July 30, 2010: An Ararat Rural City councillor believes council requires more information on council employee numbers and salaries to make an informed decision on the 2010/11 budget.

At a council meeting last week, councillors deliberated over two draft budgets, eventually voting in favour of a 3.0 percent rate rise over a 5.9 percent rate rise.

However, Cr John Cunningham said council was forced to make the decision with limited information.

‘‘We are on shaky foundations, there’s a whole range of information we don’t have,’’ he said.

‘‘Over the course of our budget considerations we have asked for information and it has not been provided. Not at the level we require if we are going to make informed decisions.’’

In a bid to access the information, Cr Cunningham foreshadowed three motions during Tuesday night’s meeting. All were carried.

The first motion requested that Ararat Rural City CEO Steve Chapple provide a breakdown of the actions undertaken as part of council’s restaffing process which is currently underway.

The process will see four management positions abolished to create budget savings.

July 29, 2011: Ararat Rural City Mayor Cr Andrea Marian has called for calm from her fellow Councillors after the ordinary meeting of Council last week.

“There are currently issues that are being dealt with outside of Council which need to follow due process. In time these issues will be dealt with, but until then I remind all Councillors, that we are here to represent the Ararat Rural City community and to make it an even better place to live,” she said.

According to Cr Marian, the Local Government Inspectorate is currently investigating the Ararat Rural City Council.

The Local Government Inspectorate confirmed this, saying enquiries regarding Ararat Rural City Council are ongoing.

“Any member of the community can make a complaint to the Inspectorate and all of these allegations are investigated as a matter of due process. Being a Councillor can certainly have its pit falls, particularly when you always try to act in good faith,” she said.

“Every Australian citizen has the right to natural justice without prejudice, and everybody is innocent until proven guilty. This is something I believe everyone should remember before any conclusions are made upon people’s guilt or innocence in any matter.

“I call on everyone within the community to support Council through these times and hope we can continue to build this great community of Ararat Rural City.’’

July 31, 2012: Ararat sub contractors and businesses owed hundreds of thousands of dollars are hopeful the consortium behind the stalled Hopkins Correctional Centre expansion project will re-commit to the project today.

The State Government issued a July 31 deadline for the consortium to come up with a plan following the collapse of both the construction group responsible for the project, St Hilliers Ararat, which went into liquidation in May and the Aegis Consortium, which was placed into voluntary administration in June.

A spokesperson for the Minister for Corrections Andrew McIntosh said the remaining consortium members were given until July 31 to come up with a detailed plan to continue the project.

“Under the terms of the contract, the project’s financiers were given time to provide a plan for the completion of the project,” the spokesperson said.

“At the Government’s insistence, this plan must include provision for payment of monies owed to subcontractors and workers.”

More than 400 jobs were lost following the collapse of St Hilliers, while sub contractors across the state are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. A number of businesses in Ararat are owed up to $400,000.

July 26, 2013: Construction of the Crowlands wind farm project will begin in August with a reduced number of turbines to be erected at the site.

Once the 41 turbines begin turning they will produce clean energy power to 50,000 homes, provide local income and jobs, not just in the construction phase but long term for the maintenance of its operations.

Pacific Hydro Australia general manager Lane Crockett said two information sessions, held in Crowlands and Landsborough to provide an update on the final design of the project went very well.

“We had 60 people attend the meetings in awful weather and the response was overwhelmingly positive,” he said.

Mr Crockett said works on upgrading Spring Flat Road would begin almost immediately with the wind farms at the site to begin taking shape in mid August.

“There will be different phases of construction, there will be some early works but then it will go quiet for a while, but we hope to have it finished in 18 months,” he said.

July 29, 2014: The Ararat community will be better prepared for flooding following the announcement of $251,000 in funding for the town’s first ever detailed flood investigation.

Visiting Ararat last Thursday, Minister for Water Peter Walsh, alongside Federal Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan announced the project to be jointly funded by the Victorian Coalition Government, Commonwealth Government and Ararat Rural City, with in-kind support from the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

Mr Walsh said the project will provide Ararat with flood maps for the first time.

“As I understand it there has never been a flood study for Ararat,” he said.

“This investigation will develop flood models to understand flood extents, depths, velocities and potential impacts of a range of flood events. It will also assess and recommend flood mitigation options in consultation with the community.

“This project will give the town a better understanding of its flood risk, which will improve land use planning, flood emergency planning and response, and community preparation for floods.”

July 31, 2015: The awarding of a grant has shone a light on the lack of childcare in Lake Bolac.

Ararat Rural City Council has committed $20,000 towards a proposed family day care facility at the town’s P-12 College.

However, the establishment of the facility would only brush the surface with the parents of up to 40 children in the area pleading for greater access to childcare services.

Victoria Rogers is a mother of one child and has another on the way.

Ms Rogers said there was a clear gap with no current service to meet parent demand.

"Lake Bolac seems to be an abyss in terms of family daycare service providers,” she said.

"There seems to be some real difficulties in getting access to those services for us.”

Ms Rogers said the council grant would allow the school to refurbish an existing building and help secure a service provider.