High cost to repair Drouin lights

A frustrated councillor has urged community members to report suspicious activity and vandalism after a costly copper theft at Bellbird Park in Drouin.
Cr Jess Hamilton said council would be forced to waste money on repairs at the expense of other projects.
"If you know something, say something," she urged. "And, if you see something...report it."
Police said the theft of copper, valued at $15,000 to $25,000, and criminal damage occurred at the Lampard Rd oval between Saturday, November 8 and Tuesday, November 11.
They believe a lock was cut off a large power supply box and power isolated to allow cables to be cut to the oval's four large light towers.
A vehicle was likely used to pull the cables out of each port.
Wheel tracks were found behind the cricket storage shed and a single wooden bollard was damaged nearby.
Police said Baw Baw Shire indicated light tower repairs would cost an estimated $35,000 to $75,000.
Baw Baw Criminal Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the theft and criminal damage and urged the community to report any activity observed at the reserve over this four-day period.
Cr Hamilton called out the vandalism in a social media post.
"When we're wasting money, time and resources on that, that means important things that need to be done are getting put to the side even longer than they need to be," Cr Hamilton said.
"It's just frustrating. We're wasting money on the same stuff over and over again."
Cr Hamilton also called out recent damage to Longwarry Cricket Club's practice pitch.
She said the pitch was being ripped up, possibly by an electric scooter.
"If we don't have the money to replace it, then the club has to source the money for themselves," Cr Hamilton said. "And it's not easy. "When they source money, they want to put it to the stuff they don't have."
She urged residents to report vandalism and "maybe be the one to tell them to pull their head in".