In the 2022 Eurobodalla Operational Plan the Council's General Manager, Catherine Dale, provides no detail of where the expected $281,773 annual budget is to be spent on capital projects to be delivered on Public toilets in 2022-23.
Under the previous Director of Finance the annual Operational Plan showed more detail of upcoming community facility renewals as per the example below:.
The community, now unknowing of the Public Toilet replacement strategy and time lines can only look at the what the General Manager claims is the commitment of Council
Provide and manage quality community facilities to meet the needs of the current and future communities
The General Manager also offers by way of her Delivery Plan the measure of "Community/customer satisfaction with public toilets".
The message appears to be that Council will, Provide and Manage quality toilets and measure themselves by way of community customer satisfaction.
But that is where the promise stops. The Eurobodalla is well known for the poor standard of its public toilets with widespread criticism voiced by the public on social media of the failings of the council to meet even the most base level of cleanliness and facility provision.
There are no soap dispensers as was noted during the period of high risk contagion of Covid Alpha with a nation wide campaign to "wash your hands". Council's response was that the dispensers or soap would be stolen. Yet in our neighbouring Bega, Shoalhaven and Queanbeayn Pallerang Council areas they appear to be able to provide a service level well above the measure given by Eurobodalla. On any score card the General Manager would receive a FAIL and a "Could do Better" comment against the KPI of "Provide and manage quality community facilities to meet the needs of the current and future communities".
The last term of Council seemed indifferent to the continued outcry by the community.
They have already been informed of the propensity to remove detail from the Operational Plan in regards project specifics and General Ledger one-liners that offer the community no detail of where funds are to be spent.
It is not surprising that the community reacts, as has been the case with the recent initiative by Region X that is organising a GoFund Me fundraiser for a new community amenities block at the Mossy Point Boat ramp.
Region X, along with a team of amazing people, run the little kiosk onsite at the boat ramp.
Josh of Region X says "you could say we have an excellent ear for what is going on at the Mossy Point boat ramp as we are open every day!"
"The word on the street is often embarrassment, disappointment and discouragement as various user groups grapple with the state of the public amenities."
"The single toilet for males and separate single for a female have reached their life expectancy and no longer serve as a suitable facility for the volume of people that use the boat ramp precinct."
"The user groups of the area include fisherpeople, joggers, walkers, dogs, swimmers, surf club rowers, kayakers, surfers, coffee drinkers, school groups and tourists."
Region X is hoping to raise $50,000 in the next 12 months. During this time they hope to work with Eurobodalla Shire Council on a masterplan for the precinct with a view to release the funds on an approved project.
The Eurobodalla tourism arm of Council promotes the Mossy Point experience of kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and sting ray experience as one of the family activities in the region.
It might well be time for the new Councillors to have a good look at the Eurobodalla Toilet Strategy and visit some of the sub-optimal dunnies to see if they pass Council's own KPI's of provide and manage QUALITY facilities to a level of Community/customer satisfaction.
Above and below: From the National Toilet Map
