Next we have legal proceedings and now we are being asked to vote for them. Last week an article written by a retiring Surf Coast councillor appeared in their local paper and with his permission I quote "The office of local councillor is a privilege that should not be taken lightly and should not be given to those who seek self benefits.

A vision is a benefit, but it should not be your own, but that of the community you represent". So I urge all when voting in October, we as a local community cast your vote for candidates who will support the community, bring common sense to the council, have the ability to learn, listen and make decisions that are in the best interests of Warrnambool.

Jack Daffy, Warrnambool

Why in these times of economic turmoil would we spend $20.25 million for a new Learning and Library Hub in Warrnambool? I have never seen the existing library in Liebig Street overflowing with members and visitors and in the current restrictions in social activities and interactions, maybe Warrnambool City Council could use the money to support existing businesses.

And maybe the rates from the council could reflect the real values of our properties, not $65,000 more than the valuation received from the banks valuers?! But I guess we are stuck between the overvaluation by council for more rates and the banks to cover their backsides.

Michael Rogers, Warrnambool

The draft master plan for the future development of the Port of Port Fairy is currently available for public comment on the Moyne Shire website. Closing date for comments is October 12. There appear to be two major omissions.

The first is the need for a re-evaluation of the existing stairway from the footbridge to the river bank on the west side. It appears to be well past its use-by date, dangerous and a significant barrier to cyclists, wheelchair users, pram pushers, scooter riders, skate boarders and the like. It could easily be replaced by a ramp.

Secondly the people travelling on wheels as above are not mentioned once in the report. suggesting that their needs have been overlooked or ignored. There are no technical reasons for not including multi-use pathways in the master plan and no shortage of space.

Solutions to existing barriers and difficulties require insight, foresight and money. Paths need to be widened, more fixed jetties built, safety issues need to be addressed and a new ramp built.

It should all be part of the master plan. Paul Bucci, Port Fairy Bicycle Action Group

If as forecast Colac-Otway Shire and Warrnambool City Councils withdraw from the Corangamite Regional Library Corporation during the life of the next council what would the present candidates do to protect Moyne libraries?

Stephen Mackey, Koroit

A few years ago, dogs at certain times and on a lead were allowed onto Lady Bay beach; but times and leads seem a difficult concept to process and the beach has become a year-round dog run. The beach in some minds also seems to have extended to include the Merri Marine Sanctuary, that the sanctuary is a dog prohibited area connected to the penguin colony also seems to be a difficult concept to process.

Lake Pertobe like the Merri Marine Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary as much as it is a family playground and barbecue area. Not everyone wants their leisure time disrupted by dogs, and alert to keeping a lookout for dog faeces, toxic to soil microbes and beyond a dog's presence a signal to wildlife of danger.

The Pick it Up campaign also seems to have fallen on many dog owners deaf ears; take a walk around the foreshore neighbourhood and cliff paths, dog excrement like a dotted line on a road leads the way. Lake Pertobe and the Merri Marine Sanctuary's diverse wildlife being so close to the city is rare and an asset, why would we want to compromise the wildlife and their habitat's existence.

Mike Kibblewhite, Warrnambool

It would be a shame if the new city council, when elected, were to remove the growing pile of rubbish behind Cotton On and near the public toilets. With a combination of ignoring or fobbing off complainants, their protection of the site has been awesome.

Dorothy Grauer, Warrnambool

Farmers and food producers selling at a farmer's market were told that city health inspectors were visiting next week and they required each market stall to have their own handwash basin with warm, running water, liquid hand soap, paper towels and a container to collect wastewater.

The notice specifies that hand sanitiser is not working under the dirt, dust, grease, etc. and directly on the hands. I have a couple of questions about this:

1. Why don't supermarkets assistants have to wash their hands between serving customers? Not even to use hand sanitisers?! It's not enough to have the facilities and tick boxes!

2. Who in the COVID times is directly handling food? By using tongs/disposable gloves, any product being sold can remain as uncontaminated as supermarket pre-packaged food.

No one should handle dirt, or grease directly with their hands when selling products! Furthermore, small stalls can stop customers touching their products. Food premises guidelines should be interpreted considering circumstances.

Do we want to wipe out the small producers who sell chemical-free products in favour of big supermarkets? From my clinical experience, generally food poisoning cases and other food related health incidents, are related to big chain sellers not to small producers taking pride in the food they sell.

Tatiana Cimpoesu, Warrnambool

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