How good will the next elected council be? Dungog Shire’s fortunes will only be as good the quality of councillors elected for a three-year on September 9.
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It will be a time of critical decision making. We need the very best candidates we can muster.
My message today is find community leaders, bright lights who are commercially savvy and love their shire, and convince them to stand.
The council is a business – a not-for- profit business with a social conscience – but it is a business, with responsibility for more than $300 million in assets and a turnover of some $20 million a year.
That’s pretty big in anyone’s language. So, we need the best brains and hearts of the shire to lead us.
This is not the time for apathy. It’s not up to someone else, it’s up to you.
OUR $13 MILLION
What is that $13 million you have in the bank? There was much laughing and dancing in the corridors at our glamorous council headquarters last week, because some chatter on Facebook suggested that the “majority” of the $13 million Dungog Shire Council has in the bank is for staff entitlements for our 65 staffers.
So what is the $13 million for? Well, as restricted funds, it cannot be used for anything except its intended use.
In broad terms, it consists of about $6 million held for the betterment of a wide range of facilities such as sports fields, parklands, library and swimming pools, as well as waste management.
The other $7 million is money retained for special projects, grant monies (roads and bridges) yet to be expended, plant and vehicle replacement and a host of other smaller categories – and staff entitlements (ah yes, but less than $1 million – sorry guys).
SILLY SEASON FOR GRANTS
In the words of assets manager Steve Hitchens down at the council depot, it’s silly season for grant applications.
There are no less than seven funding streams being pursued by Steve and his team right now.
Most are grants from the flush-with-money state government, and one from the feds.
The grants range from Black Spot Funding to boating facilities and studies, many multi-million dollar applications for bridge renewal – that’s the big one, covering Brig O’Johnston, Coulston, Spooner, Bullockeys, Wheelabout and Tillegra.
Then there’s the Fixing Country Roads, aimed at facilitating freight runs (bridges again), and funding for the Gresford/Singleton, Bingleburra and Gresford/Paterson Roads.
Don’t hold your breath, though, some of the applications from last year haven’t yet been decided.
PLASTIC WRAPPING
Talking of grants, environmental services manager Paul Minett has achieved another funding grant which will help you deal with all your soft plastic packaging.
Up at the tip at the end of Short Street in Dungog, there’s a purpose-built baling shed. What’s that? Well, it’s a twin-chamber contraption which bales soft plastic.
“Soft plastics, those that can be scrunched in your hand, have traditionally been rejected by recycling processors,” Mr Minnett says, “so now there’s a solution. Just save them up and bring them to the tip – no cost.”
What’s important to you?
Don’t forget Cr Tracy Norman’s weekly drop-in session. At the election on September 9, you can express your preference about a path forward for Dungog Shire.
Cr Norman wants to know what is important to you for the future – or any other council-related matters you would like to discuss. Drop in any Friday from 9am-noon at the Festival Lounge in Dowling Street, opposite the IGA.
You can also phone 49921862 to organise a different time or place.