Susanna Freymark
At the Kyogle Council meeting at 2pm today, Monday, September 8 some of the topics to be discussed include:
- Toonumbar Dam/WaterNSW update
- Bonalbo tip
- Lions Road
- Youth crime
- Bushfire management
- Financial reports
- Works programs
- Fixing bridges
- Social media policy
- Alcohol free zones
Read the agenda here and if you want to understand how local government works, come along to the monthly meeting at the council chambers in Kyogle.
Here is a summary of the August 11 council meeting
Where do the children play?
Councillor Olivia Taylor talked about the importance of play. Here is the story about Playbourhoods.
No fees for golf club waste
Councillors agreed to waive the fees for the disposal of green waste for the Kyogle Golf Club at the Kyogle Waste Facility for one year.
The Kyogle Golf Club said the location of their burn pile of green waste was not on land owned by the golf club. The area being used as the burn pile was at risk of erosion during flood events. The council had planned to do revegetation works along Fawcett Creek to protect this section of the golf course from being washed away in future flood events.
The council agreed to help out the golf club.
Play the street piano
Ms Taylor talked about the idea of having a public piano on Stratheden Street at the April council meeting. Read about that here.
She asked at the August meeting if the council could bring forward the installation of the Stratheden Street piano. It was agreed to put a street piano on Stratheden Street against the Kyogle Memorial Institute’s outer wall.
The were a few conditions – that the street piano be donated and funds for tuning the piano be raised by the community through donations. The street piano will be installed for a three-month trial.
At the end of the trial period, the council will provide a report to councillors and then a decision will be made about whether the street piano remains a permanent fixture on Stratheden Street.
Tacky Christmas decs
Mr McNamara asked what was happening with the festoon lighting over Summerland Way.
Will new festoon street lighting be in place for Christmas 2025?
“Will Council be replacing the somewhat tired and worn-out Christmas street decorations used in previous years?” Mr McNamara said.
The council said the festoon lights would be replaced in the next six months, as part of the main street upgrade project.
Options are currently being reviewed for the replacement of the town banners and decorations, however there is no current budget allocation and quotes received are in the order of $30,000-$50,000, the council said.
Budget woes on CBD upgrade
Councillor Rob Cullen asked about the progress regarding the changes to Summerland Way in the CBD of Kyogle and the changes to Stratheden Street?
Have the costs ‘blown out’ on both projects and if so, will this require changes to the plans to remain on budget? he asked.
The council said all the designs for the Civic Heart Precinct and Main Street are completed.
The council was looking to engage a contractor. The council was not happy with the tenders received.
“The revised total cost estimates based on rates from the recent tender have identified a significant shortfall in the CHP budget,” the council said.
“Issues with the project budget and procurement of a contractor have delayed the project.”
The council was also in discussion with TfNSW on their budget for the Summerland Way works.
Bridge fixing
Montgomerys Bridge is finally getting replaced. Read about that here.
Improving the town clock
Councillor Brett McNamara wants the council to put garden beds at the base of the town clock on Summerland Way.
The Robert Moore town clock was an acknowledgement of the 90th anniversary of Councillor Moore’s death in 1936.
Robert John Moore (1875-1936) was elected to Council in 1920 and served for 16 years. He held the position of Shire President, now known as mayor, continuously from when he was first elected. He died on April 10, 1936, while holding office.
It was reported that Mr Moore’s funeral procession was so long that as the first car reached the Kyogle Cemetery, the last car was leaving the main street. Two cars were required to carry the flowers to his grave site.
The town clock was a monument dedicated to Mr Moore on July 12, 1941.
The inscription reads as:
As a mark of appreciation of the unselfish services he rendered to Kyogle Shire and district as a citizen and shire president for 16 years 1920–1936.
Mr Moore was an original director of the Kyogle Butter Factory and then became director of Norco.
He was considered a councillor of integrity, grit and determination. He was associated with securing several improvements across the Shire, from electricity to water services, to swimming baths to the development of roads, including the Upper Richmond and Clarence Valley roads.
Mr Moore was also instrumental in conserving remnant rainforest at Findon Creek, today known as Moore Park Nature Reserve.
As the 90th anniversary of Mr Moore’s death approaches, Mr McNamara said he’d like to see a suitable low profile garden bed with appropriate solar lighting as a fitting reminder of Mr Moore.
“It is not proposed to lose any carparks either side of the town clock but to explore options for a garden bed where there is a currently two motorbike bays,” Mr McNamara said.
The staff comment on the proposal said there was a landscaping treatment proposed for the town clock in the adopted masterplan.
There was also a discussion on solar lights for the entry signs to Kyogle. And about the Kyogle Lookout.
Read the August agenda and minutes for details about what was discussed.
IndyNR.com did not attend the meeting in person but listened to the podcast and read the minutes and agenda on Kyogle Council’s website.
More stories about the Kyogle Council are in one place here.