Dear Editor, Here is my address during Public Forum to the Eurobodalla Council Meeting Tuesday 8th November 2016 Good morning Mayor Innes, Councillors, General Manager, staff, those who may be present in the gallery, and my Mum watching over me from above. I am here today to make a recommendation to the Councillors to consider placing an Agenda of each Council meeting in a hard copy form in a folder in each of the shires 3 libraries to assist people who do not have access to the internet or have issues with the Council’s web site. Given that the Agenda is published on the Wednesday on the internet these Agenda could be in the Libraries on the following Thursday morning prior to the council meeting the following Tuesday. The Agenda could be placed in the folder and kept for reference for residents viewing , the Council could widely publicise this to the community, many other Councils have already established this practice. I would also like to recommend to the Councillors to have a list of all committee and those Councillors and committee members who are on each committee available in this folder with the Agenda in the Libraries. I am aware these lists are on the Council’s web site but again there is the issue for many not having the access to a computer or those who cannot navigate the Councils web site. As I am very interested in the committee for the Batemans Bay MacKay Park Precinct Sunset Committee, I looked at the Council’s web site for the list of Committees and found that it had not been updated from the previous council. In June 2016 I sent Council a submission with recommendations in relation to the Bowling Club site. Given that I was unable to attend the Council meeting on the 12th July 2016 I "live streamed" this meeting. I also attended the open day of the Bowling Club on Saturday 16th July on behalf on our group Eurobodalla Concerned Citizens. From watching the Live Streaming I gained the view that all submissions including the original submission from June would be taken into consideration for a committee. I now note from the record of the "Live Streaming" there was mention of “short term leases” and “long term leases”. Is the current committee established to access only these “short term leases”? I noted from the Live Streaming the committee was adjusted from 6 to 8. In discussion with a resident last week I was told that the committee has now been increased to 9. My question is "Were ALL submissions taken into consideration including the original ones from June 2016?" If a vacancy becomes available on this committee I would like to be considered. I attended the Camping Show at McKay Park at the weekend and a number of people expressed to me the fact that given the Bowling Club is vacant why didn’t the Council hire part of this facility for exhibits.
It was said that the site was vacant 12 months ago and some believed it would still be vacant in November 2017. Will the announcement of the “new Batemans Bay bridge” and it’s placement affect the old Bowling Club? Given that there are the 6 weeks of school holidays has any thought been given for a vision for the use of this facility. The Auditorium could be used for a child minding facility through the school holidays, one of the bowling greens could have a jumping castle and other children activities, many towns are looking at reintroducing the “Blue Light Discos” for various ages, we desperately need a Police Citizens Boys Club to help with the youth problem that exists. We need vision and a “can do attitude and things will only happen if people make them happen for this facility. The question is "How much longer will this facility be left idle?". The community want and need to see something happening with this facility Thank You Trish Hellier
