THE Launceston City Council has placed its $62 million flood levee scheme at the top of its wish list as a federal election looms.
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At yesterday's council meeting aldermen prioritised projects they want completed as soon as possible and which would need funding from state and federal governments.
There has been no indication that the council is facing a funding shortfall for the levees but Alderman Robin McKendrick said Invermay residents and disturbed businesses ``deserved'' the project to be council's top priority.
``To me we finish a project, we just don't skip it and drop it down the list,'' he said.
Aldermen McKendrick and Ted Sands also successfully argued for the health and amenity of the upper Tamar River to be moved up the list to No. 2.
Launceston traffic management was given fourth priority.
Potentially the most expensive of the priorities, the broad topic covers a number of projects including the topical $50 million bridge across the Tamar River that Mayor Albert Van Zetten spruiked earlier in the year. North Bank, which recently became the subject of a $30 million proposal by developer Errol Stewart, was placed at No. 5.
The council is keen to turn the industrial landscape still occupied by Boral in to a public space fitted with what Alderman van Zetten has described as a ``soundshell''.
Deputy Mayor Jeremy Ball failed to win support to have the redevelopment of Duck Reach in to a working power station listed among the priorities.
He said the project would either generate cash for the council or provide carbon credits, with an output worth $1 million a year.
Some aldermen said Duck Reach was based on assumptions rather than secure arrangements, namely water supply from Hydro Tasmania.
Alderman Ball said that the council was assuming Big W would become a reality in making the Kings Meadows master plan a priority.
An update by a council officer on negotiations between the council and Hydro was circulated among aldermen but not made public.
``We are hopeful of developing a memorandum of understanding with Hydro Tasmania to secure the water flow prior to embarking on a business case study of the proposal,'' council general manager Robert Dobrzynski said.
Aldermen passed the motion unanimously.
TOP 10 PROJECTS
Flood levees.
Upper Tamar River health and silt removal.
Launceston CBD plan.
Traffic management.
North Bank redevelopment.
Tourism plan.
Kings Meadows Precinct Plan
Mowbray Precinct plan.
Waste management.
Greater Launceston Plan, stormwater strategy and strategic financial plan.
