Clr Patrick McGinlay has given notice that at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 24 April 2018, he will move to fastrack consultation with the community about the future design, layout and maintenance of Albert Ryan Park and Rotary Park in Batemans Bay and upgrade its status from ‘Medium’ to ‘High’ priority At the Council Meeting on 27 March 2018, Council endorsed a motion that Council “Consider a state of the art upgrade on the toilets at Albert Ryan Park for people with disabilities”. At the time Councillor McGinlay indicated that he would like to see the project status changed to High and would be bringing the motion back to chamber. At the time the only vocal protagonist was from the whines of Lindsay Brown asking which community project will have to suffer because of the change in priority. A long term supporter of the Albert Ryan Park suggested that Brown may have been pissed off to have the Albert Ryan Park project rug pulled out from under him after he had failed to understand that the park and its future was more important to the Batemans Bay community than he had understood and that his handling to date of the project was poor. No doubt the motion by Councillor McGinlay will come down to vindictive voting based around ego and side-taking and have little to do with community representation or having any empathy with community wishes. Watch and see on this one and count note the vote. Councillor McGinlay has also given notice that he will move a motions to write to the Australian Government advocating to phasing out the live export of animals and to write to the Australian Government advocating to create an Independent Office of Animal Welfare. He says “All levels of Australian government should be working to end this cruelty and develop a transition plan to boost Australia's export of chilled and frozen boxed meat instead. Processing more meat domestically will increase employment opportunities, strengthen Australia's meat processing sector and provide a superior economic boast to regional Australia.” He suggests a five step plan could be considered to achieve the above. “This could involve the federal government working with industry to: 1. Provide incentives to support opening new abattoirs close to sources of production to grow domestic processing. 2. Lobby importing countries for an end to subsidies and tariffs that favour the live export trade and put more resources into further promoting the boxed meat trade from Australia. 3. Provide assistance to attract and train meat workers to grow a stronger meat processing industry and boost employment rates. 4. Work with farmers and investors to ensure a smooth and successful transition away from live exports.” As a rural meat producing area this makes economic sense and moral sense. Again watch this motion and see who might be stupid enough to vote against Council writing two letters. Hopefully you have all had a CPI increase in your salaries like all the Council staff receive each year because Council is proposing changes for rates, levies and annual charges, pricing policies and proposed borrowings for 2018-19 of around 2.3%. Proposed changes include: · The general rate increases by 2.3 %.the rate peg amount for 2018-19. · The environment fund rate increases by 2.3%. · The waste collection charges increases by 2.3% for the typical household. · The water access charge increases by 3.6% to $320 (20mm connection access charge) and the usage charge increases by 1.4% to $3.60 per kilolitre. · The sewer access charge increases by 2.2% to $950 (20mm connection access charge) and the usage charge increases by 2.7% to $1.88 per kilolitre. Council’s proposed Fees and Charges for 2018-19 (not including statutory fees) have generally been increased by 2.3%. The Councillors will hear that Eurobodalla Shire Council has been offered $671,000 to fund infrastructure works for the completion of Corrigan’s Reserve Inclusive Playground – Stage Two. Eurobodalla Shire Council was also offered $185,000 to contribute to the redevelopment of the amenities at Gundary Oval, Moruya. Councillors will be asked to note the funding allocation from the NSW Government under the Infrastructure Grants Program and endorse actions taken to accept this funding. They will also hear on an offer of grant funding from the NSW Government under the Tourism and Environment Fund Program of $1.47M for the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. The Friends of Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens had already been successful in obtaining grant funding for $660,000 from the Australian Government under the Regional Jobs and Investment Package Program. The report to council says “The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden Visitor Centre Redevelopment Project will provide world class facilities to cater for up to 150,000 visitors annually; grow the regional visitor economy; promote cultural and nature tourism on the unspoilt South Coast, and significantly boost tourism numbers and income for the South Coast region.” There will be other reports on tenders and sewer and grants for regional road works so it should all be done and dusted by lunchtime. The April 24th meeting begins at 10am at Council chambers, Moruya or via live streaming at http://webcast.esc.nsw.gov.au/
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NOTE: Comments were TRIALED - in the end it failed as humans will be humans and it turned into a pile of merde; only contributed to by just a handful who did little to add to the conversation of the issue at hand. Anyone who would like to contribute an opinion are encouraged to send in a Letter to the Editor where it might be considered for publication
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