Next Tuesday will most likely see Eurobodalla Councillors break their 29 minute record for a Council meeting with only 5 things listed in the agenda. First off will be Clr Lindsay Brown requesting that Eurobodalla Council write a letter to Racing NSW to ask them questions around the Treatment of Racehorses in NSW. He will move a motion that Council write to Racing NSW requesting the following information: 1. what protocols are in place with regard to ensuring appropriate standards of care are undertaken for all registered thoroughbred trainers in NSW? 2. what protocols are in place for the rehoming and ongoing standards of care for thoroughbred racehorses in NSW? 3. how are standards monitored and enforced? It is expected there will be no discussion or debate as all of that has been done already behind closed doors in briefings and the questions have more than likely all passed muster of the General Manager and Councillor Nathan, the self appointed words smith of the chamber. Next on the agenda is a Dorthoy Dixer from Councillor Anthony Mayne asking Council staff to inform him of all the terrific stuff that Council does in Reducing Single Use Plastic. While the subject might offer the opportunity to do some grandstanding, to thank staff for their efforts and to 'move forward' all that is required from the councillors is to move that the response to the question regarding reducing single use plastics raised by Councillor Anthony Mayne be received and noted. Next item of business is that a petition be received and noted requesting consideration for the building of a Disabled Access/Parenting Facility in Mogo. Unfortunately for the general public the submission that will be presented during Public Forum will not be live-streamed however the submission WILL be available on the Beagle after for the community to read and to learn of the facts around the continuing frustrations of the Mogo community to have a respectable public toilet in their town. The last two items are a done deal that just requires councillors to lift their hands as they bring down their rubber stamps on the Classification of land - Freycinet Drive, Sunshine Bay for a sewer pump station and the re-classification of Council owned land for the extension of the Moruya Waste Management Facility GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORTS Nil PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS Nil INFRASTRUCTURE REPORTS Nil COMMUNITY, ARTS AND RECREATION REPORTS Nil
With just the one meeting in October three weeks ago on the 22nd the councillors have had a good long spell to work up the energy to deliver a host of Questions on Notice and Notices of Motion on a wide range of Council issues that are well and truely lighting fires in the corridors of the Moruya Council building.
With just 18 meetings scheduled in 2019 our Councillors enjoy their annual fee of $20,280. This will equate to $1,226 for just showing up on Tuesday. The councillors, under the new arrangements for the preceding Public Forum session, are not required to attend, nor are they required to attend Public Access sessions. While some appear to read the agenda it is more than obvious by the questions asked and the debate that occasionally ripples around the chamber , that most don't, relying instead on the briefings that staff give them before meetings.
Next Tuesday will be no exception and with any luck they might well break their record of the shortest Council meeting yet as they rush to their well deserved ratepayer provided lunch that awaits ... behind closed doors.
It is understood that a certain councillor has already stated she will be on holiday in December and January, possibly missing the last two sessions of council in 2019. This may mean that the two scheduled meetings for December will be once again be capably chaired by the expedient Deputy Mayor, Rob Pollock that might well see the meeting time record challenged.
Above: The upcoming agenda for next Tuesday's meeting doesn't reflect the panic in the back corridors as more and more fires are lit that around the Mayor, the General Manager, and this term of office.
