Macksville & District Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc Meeting 27 th October, 2015 Blue Gum Lounge, Lakeside Gardens, Macksville. Summary of Meeting In attendance from Nambucca Shire Council: PAUL GALLAGHER - ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER ENGINEERING SERVICES GRANT NELSON - COORDINATOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND NATURAL RESOURCES KEITH WILLIAMS - MANAGER TECHNICAL SERVICES Paul Gallagher Paul outlined the work undertaken by Council to prepare for the Fit for Future report with a view to the Government s work on amalgamation this had consumed staff for 6 to 9 months. Council had taken a hard look at how they operate and who they serve. It was about asset management going into the future and being sustainable. They had undertaken restructure and nine positions were made redundant. They had replaced these nine with seven positions with qualified and motivated staff. Council was no longer a job for life - they are a business. In the past five years they have been progressively reforming. They did a presentation to Council which was endorsed. They looked at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. They are finding the right person for the right job. They appointed a co-ordinator position; a structure co-ordinator, a roads co-ordinator, a workshop co-ordinator and a green space co-ordinator. In the past they would mow and mow and mow and they are looking at this. They are maintaining some areas and in others they are using native vegetation to reduce the required mowing. They had to make hard decisions and these affected families, but all this had resulted in the Fit for the Future report being successful. They were pleased when the results released that the Nambucca Shire Council was shown as green, meaning they were Fit for the Future. Bellingen was unfit, as was the Clarence and Macleay. Coffs Harbour was fit. This was good news for Nambucca Shire Council. Scott Norman, the Assistant General Manager had put in hours. They had engaged John Connery, from South Australia who was known for reform and he had peer reviewed the document. He was later seconded to IPART. In review, he gave us a tick and we submitted our Fit for the Future. There were questions back and forth but the rest is history. However, there are a lot more changes to come. The week before we had four projects up for an engineers award. These included the work on lower Park Street, the solar bins, the dam and the work at Taylors Arm Road. We received an award for dam.
Paul has been appointed to a state engineers committee. They had Workshop for two days with Auditor General auditing from 216 projects under what they call Special Schedule 7 it was an absolute nightmare. For years they had been under the instructions that work lodged as backlog in State of Assets would attract extra funding was not the case. Paul s portfolio on the engineers board is National asset management for Australia. Substantial work had been undertaken around Macksville. They have almost finished the sporting precinct. Extensions to the gym are almost complete. There are some roadworks still to be finished. They found below the surface is swamp. They had laid cement stabilisation and it is still hardening. Paul asked the business houses to please bear with the road works. They are getting further geotechnical work done to see if it has taken up. Signs for upgrade are here but they have had to go through the dial before you dig process. Some will go up sometime next week. Part of the sign strategy. Paul had attended a conference where an energy company was offering six power pole for $25,000 for electric cars. They could be put up somewhere like Macksville. As electric cars only have certain distance, an electric car comes along and pulls in and while charging can have a look around the town. There is a government subsidy and the company bringing them in get the money for the recharges. Keith Williams Reported to Council meeting on parking. Nambucca Chamber is passionate about parking because of the fumes and they are trying to get more dining areas. There will be a loss of parking because of the landscaping 11 years ago there was a survey to 500 residents and 70% wanted to retain reverse in but the Chamber are requesting that we look at front end parking. With River Street we are a bit limited to space and the Council resolved to adopt a trial period if the Chamber agree, but if the Chamber is dead against it will not proceed. There would be forward 90 degree parking coming from both directions. They have taken comments on Board. Enter parking bay from either direction for ease of parking. Disadvantage not much width - not much room but will reduce speeds. The RMS are not keen on shared zone. They would like to try this approach it is for consideration and discussion.
Three Councillors are against rear angle parking. Nambucca Chamber would involve changing angle to 45 degrees and may lose some parking spots. Traffic committee may be against it as the police may see an issue as well Grant Nelson Following submissions from the public, they had come up with draft Concept Plan. They looked at a number of issues and changed the CBD area. They considered the feedback. For instance, re locating the toilet block was not well received so they had made some calls on that. Traffic was one of the main issues. The traffic committee had raised issues. They are still trying to find some solutions to some of the matters. It was a concept plan. They will have to look at safety issues. In Cooper Street there was not enough width and they had to make allowances for trucks. The greenery had been fairly reduced. The roundabout at River Street would not be possible as there was not enough room. There is no way they could get any roundabout. Mountable roundabout to open up traffic movements. There had been discussions regarding traffic lights. Traffic lights are cheaper. This had not gone to Council There had been a resolution to maintain the parking in front of cenotaph. Some members/businesses would be asked if they want a street tree in front of their place. Grant also presented slides on a very recent concept for the lake and Dawkins Park. The island would be removed and they would endeavour to develop the area as an ecological/educational area. There would be pathways, native vegetation and a bush tucker area. Although very hot off the press, the concept was very exciting. It would include new amenities, a shelter area etc. The concept had been sent to the staff but was yet to go to Council. Chamber to write to RMS in regards to the outcome of on and off ramps. Keith Williams mentioned girder movements in Macksville which will close the highway for fifteen minutes at a time. Cooper Street parking will be lost during that period of time.
Paul noted that in future there would be five day s notice for any work being carried out on the roads. Question about timeline for River Street. Chamber would be happy to receive the plans first and distribute them. Parking review was generated by people not obeying parking rules and many people being fined. The trial would not be costly and it is an easy way of running a trial. NSC will formally write to the Chamber. Plan on promoting Macksville Paul Gallagher added that the Bluett Award application (see at the end) is on the website. This year was the Centenary of the Council being one hundred years old. A book is being prepared. Showcased what they have been doing. There was great expectation regarding the Bluett Award there were three judges: a former GM, two ex-mayors/politicians. Although they had commented that NSC s application was the best they d seen, the decision at the end of the day may have been political. Paul also commented that we were in a prime position for growth. MOTION: THAT the Chamber congratulate council on the engineering award (see below) and on being Fit for the Future. CARRIED. Mayor Rhonda Hoban proudly announced today that Nambucca Shire Council was awarded the Institute Public Works and Engineers Association (IPWEA) Engineering Excellence Award for Innovation in Water Supply and Waste Water at the recent Engineers conference held in Terrigal on the Central Coast for the Bowraville Off River Water Storage facility. Mayor Rhonda Hoban said The decision to build the dam is by far one of the most important and largest investments made by this Council, which will now ensure the long term sustainability of Council s water supply. She further said This project has demonstrated excellent governance through the leadership and commitment of this Council, its staff and the community.
Assistant General Manager Paul Gallagher said It s not often in Local Government that you see a project of this magnitude. The project brought together innovation in design, engineering and construction, extensive community engagement, the responsible management of environmental challenges and cultural heritage considerations, the delivery of a major infrastructure project on budget and open and transparent involvement of all parties to mitigate dispute resolution and latent variations demonstrating an effective partnership of government agencies, contractors and the community. The dam will ensure the security of the Nambucca Shire s water supply for future generations and will give investors confidence with Council's faith in the future development of the Nambucca Valley, Mayor Rhonda Hoban said. Mr Gallagher further said The Mid North Councils were successful in a number of other projects with awards being presented to Coffs Harbour City Council, Kempsey Shire Council and acknowledgment of this Council s land slip remediation projects on Taylors Arm Road, and Lower Park Street. Nambucca Shire Council was also acknowledged as being the first Local Government entity in NSW to trial the innovative solar compactor bins in the street litter waste collection. For more information about the Bowraville Off-River Water Storage project, visit the Nambucca Shire Council website atwww.nambucca.nsw.gov.au or phone Council on 6568 0234. A R Bluett Memorial Award: Nambucca Shire Council does have a good story to tell in relation to achievement in its 100 th year. Besides the completion of the Bowra Dam, there has been achievement across a broad range of Council activities including but not limited to asset management, control of operating costs, environmental plans and programs, community health and development and economic initiatives. It is proposed that Council submit an entry for the 2015 Award. The entry will also serve as a written record of Council s achievement in its centennial year and the basis of a special annual report. Based on recent Award entries and the list of principal activities below it is anticipated that the entry will run to some 50 pages. Consideration has been given to badging the entry with a name with suggestions being One in One Hundred and Our Centennial Year. The matters which are proposed to be highlighted in Council s entry are: Principal Activities Capital Works & Services o Bridge replacement program (CSP 9.1.5 & 1.2.1) o Landslip repair works (CSP 9.1.2 & 1.3.1) Lower Parkes Street (CSP 9.1.2) Riverside Drive (CSP 9.1.2)
Taylors Arm Road (CSP 9.1.2) o New & refurbished toilets (CSP 8.2 & 1.2) o Nambucca Heads Sewerage (CSP 11.2) o Bowra Dam (CSP 11.1) Cultural & Heritage o Heritage Assistance Program (CSP 8.1) o Reclassification of Farringdon Fields (CSP 8.1) o Supporting Volunteers Funkya at Unkya; Anzac Day (CSP 4.1) o Stuart Island Interpretative Signage (CSP 4.3.1) Sport & Recreation o Open Space & Communities Facility Study (CSP 8.3) o Macksville Fun & Fitness Precinct (CSP 8.3) o Regional boating projects (CSP 8.3) o Cycleway planning & implementation (CSP 9.1.3) o Beach access (Valla Beach etc) (CSP 9.1.3 & 7.3) Economic & Social Development o Highway Service Centre (CSP 10.1)
o Gumma Reserve (CSP 10.1) o Railway Road industrial land (CSP 10.1) o World Rally (CSP 10.1.4) Built & Natural Environment o Valla Growth Area (CSP 5.1) o Beyond By-Pass (CSP 5.1) o Floodplain management planning (CSP 5.1) o Indicative EEC and Koala mapping (CSP 7.4.1) o Swimming pool inspection program (CSP 6.1.1) o On site sewerage inspection program (CSP 3.2.1) o Plumbing and drainage (CSP 6.1) Environmental Initiatives o Lower Nambucca Sewerage (CSP 11.2 & 7.3) o Stuart Island (CSP 7.3) o Scotts Head coastal ecology (CSP 7.3) o Gumma Swamp (CSP 7.3) o Weed management (CSP 7.4.2) o Coastal Zone Management Planning (CSP 7.3)
Health & Community Services o Healthy Communities (CSP 3.3) o Companion Animals (CSP 2.2.2) o Aboriginal Community Development (CSP 4.1.1) o Youth Development (CSP 4.2.1) o Library e-services (CSP 8.1.1) Corporate & Governance o Asset Management (CSP 1.2.1) o Organisational Reviews (CSP 1.2.1) o Council s Centenary (CSP 8.1) o Community Capacity Building (CSP 4.1 & 1.2)