Positive feedback for SP from Alphington resident

Dear Mayor Kay Meadows,

Writing on behalf of the residents who live along Chandler Hwy and Rex Avenue, Alpington, I would like to personally thank the Yarra City Council, and Stephen Jolly for his recent reaction to an email I addressed to him.



Over the past 5 months I have 'pestered' several representatives of the council, many of whom worked for the Open Space program, in the hope that the council would install a light over a reserve used for parking on the corner of Chandler Hwy and Rex Avenue.



For the most part, I felt ignored. Rarely did I receive a response to the countless emails I wrote, or phone messages I left on office answering machines. When I did speak to someone, despite having spoken to them about this issue in the past, I was forced to 'refresh their memory', which led me to believe few of them, if any, took the issue seriously.



At the end of my patience, I desperately attached email addresses of council officials, including that of Stephen Jolly, and asked for some feedback, even if it was to say 'no, this won't be happening'.



Mr. Jolly far exceeded my expectations. On receiving the email, he instantly called me, and asked if I had any more concerns or information. He made it clear the obstacles I would be facing, but also assured me there were many routes 'we' could take.



Mr. Jolly showed genuine concern for myself, and the other residents who are constantly victim to what I believe could be an avoidable crime (the vandalism of their cars and theft of their belongings from the carpark).



Regardless of whether or not Mr. Jolly had agreed with me, I would still like to thank him for merely treating my concerns as a serious concern despite my informal approach, and not merely an annoyance, or inconvenience at best.



Instead he was polite, efficient and extremely considerate. He is a credit to the council, and I can not tell you what a refreshing change it was to deal with someone in a government position who made the people a priority, and not the red tape.



For your own information, the light has now been installed and, to my knowledge, there has so far been no example of criminal behaviour at that location.



Thank you very much.



Tom