Archive for July, 2010

PCYC issues

July 30th, 2010

The headlines in The Chronicle while highlighting an issue, could be somewhat misleading. Council has been working closely with PCYC management and the Fire Services to ensure that any necessary fire safety related issues are dealt with in an efficient and timely manner. As the building owner Council must ensure that legislation is adhered to and it goes without saying that everyone has the safety of PCYC users as their first priority.

For background – Council owns the land and the building and PCYC leases the facility from Council. Fire safety issues relate to the differing uses of, and types of, buildings. Sport related uses are classified differently to non sport related uses by fire safety related legislation.

Council together with the PCYC does want to extend the building for a much deserved third court so Council is keen to ensure that the building is safe and that it complies with requirements now and into the future.

I look forward to the third court being built.  The resolution copied below from the Council website outlines the requirements needed to ensure that ALL functions in the centre can continue. Sport and non sport activities. The main point that I personally want to make is that as building owner, I believe Council does have a moral as well as a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of all users of the building.

Could I also draw attention to the fact that while this matter was discussed in the confidential section of the Council meeting the outcome of this matter is voted on and clearly outlined publicly and openly. Minutes also show how all the Councillors voted.

http://www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=f1006dfe-5a00-4df4-a3b7-b608a2389099&groupId=12430

(Any formatting errors below are mine as copying sometimes muddles text)

ORD 15 CONFIDENTIALORD 15.1 Council Property Matter

RESOLUTION

( Dalgleish / MucKan )

That, until such time as a satisfactory resolution is reached to the fire compliance issues within the PCYC building, a number of actions be implemented immediately in order to address Council’s risk as building owner as follows:-

1. Require PCYC to immediately address the following items which have previously been requested in correspondence dated 6 May, 2010:

 

 

 

Remove locks to the gates on the awning side of the PCYC building and replace with single release action hardware;

Demolish the illegal pergola structure located at the northern aspect of the building; and Remove the roller door from the first floor stairwell;

2. Council investigate and attend to the remaining rectification works, as a matter of urgency, in accordance with instructions from Council’s building certifiers;

3. Council advises the PCYC that to enable the continuation of non-sports related activities the PCYC is required to implement the following:

 

 

 

 

Evaluate the adequacy of emergency fire exit doors (including installation of appropriate emergency/fire compliant door hardware) to allow for increase in “allowable” maximum occupant numbers at any given time; 

 

 

Install a temporary auditory warning system that could be used in the event of an emergency to instruct occupants to evacuate the building;

 

 

 

Ensure an appropriate number of trained fire wardens are onsite during times of peak occupancy and special events;

 

 

 

Undertake pressure testing on existing hydrant system to ensure that adequate levels of water pressure are available in the event of an emergency;

 

 

 

Engage QFRS for 1-off events, emergency evacuation and fire fighting;

 

 

 

Ensure good housekeeping of the venue;

4. Finalise investigations, suitable fire safety management options and costing as a matter of urgency;

5. Upon finalisation of point 4. above, forward a report to Council recommending a suitable solution.

Carried Unanimously

Ord 11/226/07/10

 

Circus Animals

July 25th, 2010

I’m continually amazed at the reach of the internet these days as I have received numerous responses in response to the media coverage of the anti circus animals discussion that we have had in Council recently. The responses have come from as far away as India!

Briefly.. Council received a request from the RSPCA to consider banning circuses that use exotic animals to perform and Council has considered this proposal twice. The first time we discussed the request we asked that the LGAQ take the issue to the State to try and resolve the issue at the State level but we also asked for a definition of what was meant by the word exotic. During the debate in Council I felt that not all Councillors thought banning circuses that use exotic animals was supported although many questions were asked. The second follow up report dealt with options to Councillors including a suggested group of animals to be banned. The animals included lions, tigers, elephants and monkeys as I recall. The term exotic animal actually refers to animals not native to Australia so many dog and bird breeds etc could be called exotic.

I moved that we accept the report after clarifying that the way to actually ban circus animals was by way of a Local Law. As Council is rapidly approaching the time to adopt new Local Laws I felt that this process would give the community the option to have ‘their say’ and this is what will now happen.

Personally I believe no animal should be used purely for human entertainment. I don’t enjoy watching an animal perform for people and although I think that the polar bears at Seaworld and the dolphins there are very well cared for I don’t place them in the same category as circus animals. Zoos and places that house animals like Seaworld and Dreamworld are now very aware of the emotional and social needs of the animals under their care and cater for these needs. They also ensure the animals receive appropriate health care and good nutrition and undertake carefully managed breeding programmes. I am quite certain that circus animals receive that same level of care.

Now I’m talking about lions, tigers and elephants rather than dogs or little piglets etc but I prefer to be entertained by clever performers of the human variety when I pay to go to a circus and Circus Oz and Cirque du Soliel are excellent examples of this type of entertainment. I don’t like rodeos or bull fighting either but I acknowledge that not everyone shares my views. I recently spoke to a woman who works near the Sunshine Coast in an office that overlooks a paddock. Some time ago a circus came to town and the paddock became the home of the circus elephant. The woma said she was nearly at the point of taking leave as it saddened her so much to have to watch the elephant chained up and swaying from side to side all day long. This woman did not think this particular solitary elephant was a contented and happy elephant!

So it is over to you the community. Please do have your say and when the new Local Laws come out for public consultation do use your voice and let Council know what you think. I expect that the Laws will be available for comment later this year. I hope that our community supports a ban on the few circuses left in Australia that use animals to boost their income. Children should see animals in a more natural environment not jumping through hoops in my opinion!

Not so secret after all.

July 23rd, 2010

I sometimes worry how perception and generalisations colour our thinking. The Chronicle front page headline today screams ‘Secret Council’. The only justification that I then read about why Council is so secret is the number of items dealt with in the closed or confidential sessions of our Council meetings versus the number of issues dealt with in the public or open section of our meetings. No analysis has been done to examine the content of the agenda items or to explain why these items are dealt with confidentially.

Council is required by Law, Law not of Council’s making but rather Law made by the Queensland State Government, to deal with certain matters confidentially. If we don’t abide by the Law our Council could face serious consequences. While I don’t always agree with all the Laws that I have to abide by, I respect the fact that I should abide by them and I believe the FCRC does a good job of abiding by the Law.

Sometimes I, or a fellow Councillor, has questioned why a particular report is listed within the confidential section of the agenda. On making enquiries we either agree that the item should remain there or we ask that it be moved into the open and public section of Council. This has happened and will continue to happen. Also it is to be remebered that any decisions made as a result of a confidential report are made in the public and open part of the meetings and these decisions are on the public record including the Councillors voting.

I’m saddened by the general inference that our Council is secretive and would prefer that any focus on the openness of Council is done by examining the actual content of reports and items discussed not just on the number of reports. Human nature is such that we prefer to know everything about everything all of the time and we don’t appreciate secrecy. I understand that it is unpleasant to know someone is dealing with an issue behind closed doors as our inquisitive nature automatically leads us to wanting to know who said what and what was said. Even if the private meeting was as boring as the proverbial we would still feel a need to know about it simply because we aren’t included.

Councillors also have a very important responsibility to keep confidential matters confidential. It is a breach of the Local Government Act to talk about confidential discussions and with the new Local Government Act now in force, there is the possibility of an individual Councillor being stood down rather than an entire Council. I expect that one of the reasons that a Councillor could be required to leave office would be for breaching the Local Governmant Act.

I have copied the section from the Local Government (Operations) Regulation 2010 which outlines the issues frequently dealt with by Council confidentially-

71 Meetings in public unless otherwise resolved

A meeting is open to the public unless the local government or

committee has resolved that the meeting is to be closed under

section 72.

72 Closed meetings

(1) A local government or committee may resolve that a meeting

be closed to the public if its councillors or members consider

it necessary to close the meeting to discuss—

(a) the appointment, dismissal or discipline of employees;

or

(b) industrial matters affecting employees; or(c) the local government’s budget; or

(d) rating concessions; or

(e) contracts proposed to be made by it; or

(f) starting or defending legal proceedings involving it; or

(g) any action to be taken by the local government under the

Planning Act, including deciding applications made to it

under that Act; or

(h) other business for which a public discussion would be

likely to prejudice the interests of the local government

or someone else, or enable a person to gain a financial

advantage.

(2) However, a local government or committee can not resolve

that a meeting be closed to the public if any person is to take

part in the meeting by teleconferencing.

(3) A resolution that a meeting be closed must state the nature of

the matters to be considered while the meeting is closed.

(4) A local government or committee must not make a resolution

(other than a procedural resolution) in a closed meeting.

So these are the types of issues that we deal with privately. If there is anything listed on the Council agenda for discussion privately please do ask for clarification if you believe the item should not be dealt with confidentially and I will endeavour to clarify the reasons.

Council bits and pieces

July 16th, 2010

Well this week saw the first time that the FCRC conducted two formal Council meetings under the new committee structure, on the one day. The first meeting was our Ordinary Meeting where we ratified the minutes from the Environment and Infrastructure Committee meeting and then we held the first Community and Development Committee Meeting. A long day broken up by the enjoyable presentation of the Ergon Tidy Towns awards for our region.

So to the outcomes. Council decided to acknowledge that the sensible way forward in relation to making a decision on circus animals is to include the issue as part of the upcoming Local Laws review. The ‘new’ Laws do go out for public consultation so it will provide an opportunity for our community to contribute feedback on this issue. Meanwhile we are asking the LGAQ to progress the issue at a state wide level.

The Volunteer Propagators will be relocated within the Botanic Gardens grounds to a new area where they can continue their good works at growing local plants and trees for public use. The loss of two trees to facilitate the move is sad but the trees will be replaced with new, and double the number, of  trees.

Council heard from some concerned residents unhappy about the way the Environmental Levy has changed under the new budget. They voiced concerns that the Levy was not now used for the purchase of land even though it had been raised to $25 a property. They are also concerned that there is no money earmarked for land purchase in the next 10 years. I personally don’t agree with the rise in the cost of the Levy as well as the changed focus of it and voiced my opinion (as minuted) when Council adopted the budget.

Council voted together on all the other items that we dealt with apart from the request via the UDIA to extend the discount period for infrastructure charges. While I was hesitant but supportive of a roll in phase and discount period so that developers had time to adjust to the new charges, I don’t agree that they should be given extended discounts. I voted against giving the extension of time as I believe the entire community cannot afford to lose the revenue that won’t be collected and the entire community will have to bear the costs of providing the needed infrastructure in the future.

Council did agree to provide discounts to two other projects under the current policy. Council also discussed the proposed St Stephens hospital building in Hervey Bay and I was saddened to see in the Chronicle today, a front page story about this project, apparently quoting from two Councillors. The discussion was held in confidential as per the LGA guidelines, due to the commercial nature of this development. I am not sure the Directors of the Board of Uniting Care Health will be very impressed with the resulting media speculation.

Feel free to peruse the agenda’s and minutes of the Council meetings on the Council web site and while you are there don’t forget to join up to receive the free and easy to get, electronic enews. If you want to keep in touch with all things Council this is a quick and easy and painless way to do it.

Lastly the 5 baby Guinea Fowl are thriving and are now over 2 weeks old. I have been offered a new home for them on a 10 acre property so in another 2 weeks they should be ready to go. I am sure they will enjoy their new lives where there are already some Guinea’s in residence.

5 baby guineas 2 weeks old

5 baby guineas 2 weeks old

Committee Meeting notes

July 9th, 2010

Well our first Environment and Infrastructure meeting has come and gone. The main items dealt with on Wednesday include advice from staff that at least two traffic bridges in the Western parts of our region require major repairs which will cost approx $800k to $1mil per bridge. The bridges are old and require major surgery and although Tiaro had budgetted approx $500k prior to amalgamation, and were intending to match the funds the following year, we are still short on the amounts needed. It is expected the funds will have to come from the roads budget.

Drainage problems that impact on Eurong second valley properties was discussed and Councillors asked staff for a formal report on the situation and how it can be resolved. I don’t believe any property owner should suffer water inundation that is directed to their property via a road. Roads should alleviate or improve if possible, flood imunity for property owners although natural overland water flows will still occur. Flooding is a constant issue in many parts of our region and I do wish that engineering and planning decisions made in the past had been done more efficiently.

Councillors had a long debate about Xavier College using a Council public park for car parking in Endeavour Way, Eli Waters. I argued as strongly as I could that the situation be allowed to continue only for the remainder of this year and that the school ensure it can accomodate its parking needs on its own land prior to the start of the 2011 school year. I lost the argument however as Cr O’Connell thought the school should be able to use our public land for the next 12 months. I believe this is unfair to our residents and sets a dangerous precedent. Council controlled parklands should not, in my opinion, be given over to car parking for non public park related uses. Contrary to what is reported in the Chronicle today Council will need to fund the upkeep of this ‘car park’ for the next 12 months as the school does not have to contribute financially. The sad thing is that schools generate heaps of traffic and I don’t believe they are planned well enough to cope with this traffic.

We also decided to relocate 7 big fig trees to the seafront oval and one to Maryborough. The trees were ordered several years ago by HBCC for our entrance to the city but now there are constraints on that side of the highway so we thought we had best use the trees elsewhere. They are expensive and all the Councillors were concerned about the costs to plant them. Staff have been asked to find a cheaper way to actually plant the trees.

Councillors also supported the adoption of a policy which outlines a straightforward approach to rehabilitating and preserving natural areas. The policy will ensure a whole of Council approach to restoring disturbed land and preserving our precious valuable natural environment.

Councillors also supported the move to form an airport users group to discuss landing fees and other management and operational related issues. I believe with improved consultation we can improve the way our airports are managed.

Cr O’Connell has stated in the paper today that he will support a move to extend the discount period to developers next week. At this stage I won’t be inclined to support him. I believe the discount does place a direct burden on the rate payers as the funds discounted are going to have to be replaced via general rates and/or fees and charges. While I agree that the development industry is a key economic driver within Hervey Bay especially, there is a limit to how much costs our community can bare and an extension to the discount, I believe, places an unfair burden directly on our entire community who ends up funding the badly needed supporting infrastructure.

Don’t forget to Have Your Say about our future as per our 2031 Community Planning process. If we don’t have a say I believe we don’t have a right to complain later…… Deatils are available via the Council web site. Cheers, Sue

Community meetings, moving shop and babies.

July 4th, 2010

What a busy time of year this is turning out to be. On the personal front I  travelled to Melb 2 weekends ago to share Dad’s 84th Birthday with him. Even though direct flights would be good, using Qantas and connecting through Brissy is a breeze, the whole trip taking no more than 4 hours both ways. Melb was looking greenish which is a good sign and they had some rain while I was there which is badly needed still.

Last weekend and most of last week was taken up by moving our shop. We have relocated to Pialba Place so our shop ‘Mind Games’ now has a much bigger shop and we have all our fingers and toes crossed that existing customers come with us and that new ones find us. I’m not sure if moving a shop is better or worse than moving house but it sure is tiring and Graham is only just starting to look normal again after some very exhausting and stressful very long days. I’m also now back in my proper role as a visitor rather than a removalist and shelf stackerer.

Council conducted the first 3 community meetings also last week, The meetings are part of the consultation process to decide on our future for the next 20 or so years. Both the Community Plan and new Planning Scheme will evolve as a result so now is the time to contribute if you are keen to shape the future of this region. 

I attended the Maryborough and Hervey Bay sessions last week. Attendance in Maryborough was a small but very thoughtful and keen group of concerned residents more than willing to have their say on the future of their region and more specifically Maryborough. A larger group in Hervey Bay spoke about a range of issues with the usual topics getting a good going over. The themes in common included caring for our environment and not letting it degrade, managing growth carefully with associated traffic movement catered for. Alternative transport including public (possibly trains) and buses and cycle ways etc were high on the agenda. Both groups want to live in a region where our communities appreciate and embrace cultural activities and they want venues that can cater for this. Much more was discussed but I will await the results of the consultation phase before talking more about what people do want for their future.

There are more meetings scheduled this week at Tiaro, Boonoroo and Howard and I encourage anyone interested in our future to attend. If you can’t attend personally don’t forget that you can have your say online via the Council homepage.  

I missed the Brooweena meeting due to a combination of exhaustion and a knock on the door just as I was exiting the shower. A neighbour handed me two little balls of fluff! It seems our missing old lady Guinea Fowl hadn’t gone to the paddock in the sky but was in fact busily sitting on eggs somewhere. We now have a small total of 5 little fluff balls resident in our bathroom. They are growing and thriving and I hope we can find new homes for them when they are a bit older. If you want any do let me know.

5 baby guineas

5 baby guineas