Mayor’s View – 10th April, 2008
This is my first week officially in the job as Mayor and I am enjoying the challenges.
My diary is already very full, including meetings with Warren Pitt, Minister for Local Government in Innisfail today and the Local Government Association of Queensland conference in Brisbane next week, with another opportunity for meetings with ministers Warren Pitt and Desley Boyle and the mayors of Cairns and the Tablelands.
The post election meeting on 3rd April at Chjowai Hall was successful and well attended by the public. I am very confident that the new council will work co-operatively and constructively. Congratulations to Councillor Mark Nolan on his election as Deputy Mayor. I have notified my intention of calling for a vote each March for this position and for those of Committee chairpersons. This decision is in acknowledgement of the fact that many of the councillors are unknown to each other at this time and it is therefore appropriate to review the appointments.
It was also agreed at the meeting that council will meet on the second and fourth Thursday of each month in Innisfail and then Tully, respectively. There will also be council meetings in other population centres, or separate information sessions, yet to be determined.
The remuneration of councillors is always, understandably, an issue that attracts public and media interest and comment. CCRC councillors have been responsible in setting remuneration, consistent with the size of the Region’s population and in comparison with other Category Four councils.
It is surprising that three of the earliest requests for meetings with me have come from caravan park operators, looking to expand and improve their leased businesses, to meet residential and tourist demands. They are concerned that the times remaining on their leases do not justify the considerable capital expenditure required. Council staff are investigating seeking Ministerial approvals, in the public interest, to give these operators some certainty, so their investments can proceed.
The financial position of the new Region is a primary focus for the new council, but until the Orion Report and the Queensland Treasury Corporation Report on the financial position of the Region are accepted by the state government and publicly released, there is little that can be meaningfully achieved. These long term financial decisions will not be quickly resolved.
However some decisions can’t wait. Council will shortly consider costing to complete the basement level of the Town Hall and review options for funding this completion.
In regard to the Multi Function Centre in Tully, extensions of time for utilising already approved funding sources have been sought. As this building would be on Education Queensland (EQ) land, my long held belief is that EQ should be the primary financier, not local government. We have commenced by suggesting meetings with the minister for Education and the Queensland Treasurer.
I look forward to reporting to you regarding our first normal business meeting to be held on Thursday 10th April at 9.00 a.m. at Chjowai Hall.
Cr Bill Shannon
Mayor