Eurobodalla Council meetings have now become a lot more open to scrutiny. The Beagle welcomes Peter Cormick aboard to offer his insights and comments of Council, its politics, its decisions and its performance. Peter's excellent first piece Inside Council Chambers can be found on his Beagle contributors webpage here: Next Tuesday sees a bumper Council meeting that many believe will begin to reveal the underbelly of Councillor allegiances and factions The Agenda of the upcoming Ordinary Meeting of Council on Tuesday 13th December starting at 10am is jam packed. You can attend the meeting at the Moruya Chambers or watch it streamed live here as Council now provides on-demand video and audio of Council meetings through this internet-based live streaming service. Following on from Public Forum questions the Mayor will be putting forward a recommendation regarding the removal of Paid Parking in Batemans Bay Business groups in Batemans Bay have consistently raised their concerns with the imposition of pay parking and its impact on businesses and the community. The Mayor feels that the removal of pay parking before the 2016 Christmas period would send a very positive signal to the business community and provide a more welcoming message to visitors to Eurobodalla The Mayors recommendation will be:THAT 1. Pay parking be removed from the Clyde Street and Perry Street off - road parking areas in Batemans Bay by 23 December 2016. 2. Subject to the concurrence of the Local Traffic Committee, a three (3) hour parking limit be put in place over the Clyde Street and Perry Street off-road parking areas in Batemans Bay from 23 December 2016. 3.The appropriate budgets adjustment be submitted to Council for the 2016 - 17 financial year as part of the December 2016 budget review. Councillor Anthony Mayne will move a Notice of Motion regarding Dog Recreational Venues THAT: 1.Council address existing and emerging demand for dog recreational venues in the Shire, with a staged approach that considers demand (current and potential), community engagement to date and cost within a responsible recreation planning context. 2. Council, early 2017, seek further information from the Batemans Bay Dog Park Supporters Group and other interested parties regarding the provision of dog recreational and training facilities in the Batemans Bay area. 3. Council plan for the provision of a fenced dog training and recreation facility at the Moruya Showgrounds as part of the forward budget and master planning processes. Next comes Council’s responses to a Questions on Notice The first is from Councillor Phil Constable about Ringlands Point Jetty Question: The Jetty at Ringlands Point on the Wagonga Inlet is in urgent need of repair. 1.Is this jetty an asset of Council? 2.What measures are in place to repair and restore the Ringlands Point jetty; including a projected timeframe for the completion of the necessary works? You can read Councils response to these questions on their Agenda paper. The recommendation by staff is that their response be received and noted. The next question on notice is also from Councillor Phil Constable regarding Directional Signage for Tourism Tourism is a significant industry, with a value to the local economy in excess of $400m per annum. The ability of our visitors, and residents, to be able to navigate to the many experiences, attractions and services on offer in the Eurobodalla is essential to the ongoing success and further development and growth of our tourism industry. Unfortunately, I have had a number of operators of tourism businesses raise with me their concern about the inadequacy of the current signage.In response to these concerns I request a response to the following questions. Does Council have a strategy for the provision of directional signage which is aimed at guiding visitors and community members to the diverse range of experiences, attractions and services in the Eurobodalla? If not, what action is being taken to address such deficiency and to ensure that this important need is being met on behalf of our tourism and business community, residents and visitors? Again you can read Councils response to these questions on their Agenda paper. The recommendation by staff is that their response be received and noted. The third Question on Notice is received from Councillor Patrick McGinlay is in relation to Dargues Creek Mine. The questions were posed to allow for two possible positive outcomes for concerned members of the community and for Council. Councillor Patrick McGinlay offers: The first potential positive outcome is that they provide an opportunity for council to provide assurance to the community that it has plans, procedures and processes in place that will enable monitoring of mining company compliance with their obligations concerning identified environmental and other risks with their operations. It also is an opportunity to demonstrate that Council has done all it can within its area of responsibility to ensure robust disaster recovery plans are in place to deal with serious or catastrophic events. The second potential positive outcome is that in answering these or any other associated questions that arise from discussing the answers, any deficiencies in planning and risk mitigation procedures can be identified early, allowing for re-examination and improvement of such plans. The Questions asked are: In relation to the Dargues Reef Goldmine: 1.Has the NSW and Australian Government formally given approval for modifications to mining operations, and if that is not the case, can Council advise of the status of the approval process? 2.Does Council have a Response Plan in the event of a tailings dam failure, and if so does is it linked into its Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy? 3.What is the exact response mechanism by which ESC would be notified in the event of a dam failure or any other breach or incident with potential for environmental, social, health or economic harm and what action would be then triggered? 4.Is this chain of response mechanism and subsequent procedures able to be activated and undertaken on a 24/7 basis? 5.Does the company have, in Councils opinion sufficient public liability insurance? 6.Is it correct that both the mining company, and Council, have been using the services of the same firm of solicitors in relation to this matter, and if so, could this be perceived as a conflict of interest and therefore inappropriate? Responses have been provided to the questions above in the Agenda papers and the recommendation by staff is that their response be received and noted.. The following question on notice was also received from Councillor Constable regarding the Princes Highway Corridor Strategy Has Council or Council staff been involved with the NSW Government, Local Member the Minister for Roads Transport and Maritime services or senior staff within the Roads and Maritime Services in any discussions about developing a new Princes Highway Corridor in the Eurobodalla Shire to better service the shire in coming years, that will alleviate highway congestion in Batemans Bay, Mogo, Moruya, Bodalla and Narooma. If discussions have been held what was the outcome of those discussions particularly in relation to planning a future Princes Highway Corridor through the Eurobodalla Shire? As is the case with the other Questions On Notice a response has been provided to the questions above in the Agenda papers and the recommendation by staff is that their response be received and noted.. The General Manager will then give a report on:- the Delivery Program Review - Citizens' Jury Code of Conduct Complaints Statistics Report Policy Review - Work Health and Safety Policy Following on from this comes the Planning reports: Tern Inn - modification to operating hours Donation of Development Fee Policy Review - Clean Air Policy Next will be reports regarding Tenders for: Shredding of Garden Organic, Timber and Stump Material Transport and reuse/recycling of biosolids Design, supply, installation and operation of landfill gas extraction and destruction systems Flying fox dispersal services Later in the meeting other tenders will also be discussed Tender for construction of concrete bridge located at Tuross River (Tyrone Bridge) Nerrigundah Mountain Road Bodalla Tender - Bodalla Sewage Treatment Plant Construction Tender - Caseys Beach Seawall Tender - Lease of Council Land Batemans Bay A report on the Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy and Strategic Business Plan will be tabled followed by a Local Traffic Committee report then discussions of a funding offer regarding a Bush Fire Risk Mitigation and Resilience Grants Program ‘Tis the season for Policy reviews and this Council meeting will look at the revision of the following additional policies: Build in the Vicinity of Sewer Mains Bush Fire Risk Management Drinking Water Quality Signs as Remote Supervision Grazing of Stock on Public Roads Finance and property reports will be delivered covering: Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee Terms of Reference Investments made as at 31 October 2016Classification of Council land, Brou Waste Management Facility Classification of Council land - Lot 70 Deposited Plan 1213485 Broulee Easement for Right of Access - Evans Street, Moruya Licence for Red Hot Summer Tour - Mackay Park, Batemans Bay Policy Review - Community Grants Policy Review - Borrowing Management Policy Policy Review - Debt Recovery And finally from the Community Arts and Recreation Division will come reports on: Continuity of Support funding Man
