Pensioner pleads with council to clean smelly drain

A LISMORE pensioner said he was left feeling frustrated after trying to get council to remove overgrown grass at the front of his home for more than 12 months.

Michael Iveli said he was frustrated after trying to get Council to removed 6ft overgrown grass at the front of his home. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

A LISMORE pensioner said he was left feeling frustrated after trying to get council to remove overgrown grass at the front of his home for more than 12 months.

Michael Iveli said he had been in contact with Lismore City Council on numerous occasions but has seen no action.

"I don't mind cleaning it, whipper snipping it and mowing it, but now it has got out of control and I've asked them to clean it out," Mr Iveli said.

He described the overgrown bush as a significant eyesore, having mowed lawns himself before retiring.

"I try and close my eyes when I walk past," Mr Iveli said.

Before the flood Mr Iveli use to do all the maintenance himself, however after a sewage pipe burst in a house three doors down, he hasn't touched it.

"It went right through my front yard and into the drain there and I said no, I'm not walking around in there," he said.

"It's probably got about a tonne of blue metal in there because the drive way on the side of the house here washed away with all the rain."

Mr Iveli's next door neighbour also has a similar problem and has spent a lot of money to have a lawn mowing professional take care of it.

"He poisons it, it costs her money every time," Mr Iveli said.

"It wouldn't be cheap because round up is not cheap and her being a pensioner too, she is older than me, she's got to pay or it will look like mine."

Lismore Council's Manager for Civic Services Darren Patch said the issue was on the council's radar.

"The overarching problem at this location is road drainage and we are aware that the site needs regrading to redirect the storm water," Mr Patch said.

"We have slashed the site previously following requests from residents, and there is a plan to undertake grading to solve the issue on a long-term basis. This work is scheduled for June 2018."

However, Mr Iveli said he was annoyed it will take the council 18 months from his initial complaint to do something.

"Clean it out, I can go in there and clean it myself after they do to keep it tidy and keep the snakes away and the smell away," Mr Iveli said.