None of Our Business But…

A NEW take on pizza-with-the-lot made the menu in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court last week.
A customer had helped himself to more than garlic bread on the side when he nabbed a $1000 iPhone 6 left on the counter near his own phone and then waited for his meal in his car.
When the victim confronted him at the time he denied he’d take the phone, but later confessed and returned the phone to police, putting it down to an act of drunken stupidity.
The magistrate told the middle-aged man “you’re too old to be committing these sorts of offences“, convicted him and imposed a $600 fine.
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“IT’S a bit like being asked to give an overview of the telephone book. It’s quite a long document.”
This was corporate services director Mick Jaensch’s response to councillor Matthew Kirwan’s request at last week’s council meeting for a summary of the City of Greater Dandenong Long Term Financial Strategy.
Mr Jaensch went on to say that the document spelled out where the council would be in five years and that rate capping was the biggest challenge ahead.
The State Government is still to reveal how rate capping will be applied.
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COUNCILLOR Angela Long offered her congratulations and best wishes to Matthew Kirwan and his fiance Jenny at last week’s council meeting.
They’ll wed while she’s on holidays next month.
Mayor Sean O’Reilly suggested the next speaker, Cr John Kelly, would surely also offer Cr Kirwan wishes for “productive and happy nuptials”.
Chuckles erupted from the gallery, with many heard to question what he meant by “productive”.
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THE council last week received an extra 104 signatures on a petition against selling part of Glendale Reserve in Springvale.
These were in addition to a 21-signature document tabled at the 9 June meeting calling for the council to retain 75a Whitworth Avenue as public open space.
In January it announced plans to sell it to Minaret College for $1.15 million to build a new kindergarten.
The school leases a dilapidated kinder on the land but plans to end its tenure this year.
Councillors will likely receive a report and vote on the proposal on 27 July.