The Beagle Editor,
Your readers might be interested in the following letter that has now been delivered to Council's GM and Mayor.
Open Letter to General Manager Eurobodalla Shire Council and Mayor Innes
The submission to the RMS Urban Design and Landscape Plan has now closed after almost a month for submissions. The Batemans Bay Boaters Association Inc understands that a submission was received by RMS from the Shire.
As a boaters organisation we have not been able to establish if the submission contained comments and/or recommendations regarding the boat ramps, and more importantly the Clyde Street T-wharf.
We note that many of the proposals contained in the Urban design document involved land over which the Shire has an interest either in the planning aspects, management or with the ongoing maintenance – using ratepayers funds.
We therefore request a copy of the Shire submission.
Will you inform us if the submission went in under
(a) the General Manager’s signature.
(b) the Mayor, Councilor Liz Innes signature
(c) or councillors
If (a) under what authority and whose direction?
If (b) under whose direction and was it approved by the other Councillors?
If (c) was it placed before the Councillors at a Council meeting for open discussion ( the 25 June 2019 meeting was during the consultation period) or was it not formally endorsed by the elected representatives of the Shire before submission?
During the development of this submission did the Mayor Innes state her conflict of interest when the T-wharf and adjacent foreshore was discussed due to a possible pecuniary family interest in the Innes Boatshed, and the Innes’ Merinda Clyde River Cruise ferry, the Escapade – a current user of the T-wharf and adjacent piers? She has on previously occasions excused herself at Council meetings when this area is discussed.
If the submission was made under the Councillors names (c) when was it released to these representatives and did they have the opportunity to discuss it with their constituents?
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The Association awaits your reply with interest as do many of the Shires residents and ratepayers.
Harry Watson Smith BB Boaters Association Inc
