Legal costs reprieve for Drysdale community group

Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association (DCSCA) has been reprieved from its legal costs following a failed Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal (VCAT) hearing.
VCAT ordered DCSCA to pay Caltex franchisee Milemaker Petroleum $5500 by 7 December after losing an appeal over its proposed service station development on Jetty Rd.
The association started a fundraising campaign to try and cover the costs after appeals to Milemaker apparently fell on deaf ears.
But DCSCA president Rich Paradise said Milemaker had now decided to waive the demand for legal costs.
Mr Paradise said Milemaker general manager Ari Singer told him the company had decided to waive the costs “as a gesture of goodwill to the local community”.
“The association congratulates Milemaker for making this generous gesture to the local community,” Mr Paradise said.
“It takes the financial pressure off the association, for which we’re grateful, and it shows that the company wants a good relationship with the community, which is good news for everyone.”
Association treasurer Doug Carson said donors had responded generously to the appeal.
“With the legal costs waived, we intend, as promised, to return each contribution with our thanks and a sigh of relief,” Mr Carson said.
Association secretary Patrick Hughes said the reprieve marked a new beginning for the association. “We can return reinvigorated to our work, including representing local people’s views to outside organisations, lobbying for increased leisure facilities for the area’s expanding population and running the popular annual Festival of Glass.”
The association will run an open day between 11am and 3pm on 28 November at 164 Wyndham Street, Drysdale, with a garage sale, stalls, live music, glass-blowing demonstrations and information about DCSCA’s work.