Bulloo Buzz 05 June 2019 SUPPORTING OUR REGION…..………….………………………. Council is committed to maintaining and delivering new infrastructure and community projects across the shire that will improve the liveability, sustainability and keep our region progressive and innovative. We're reinvesting in community projects and our community's assets, such as roads, pools, community buildings and facilities, footpaths, shared pathways and playgrounds. These projects are undertaken with an aim to strengthen our local economy, improve services and facilities for our residents, businesses and visitors , and to create a more connected, safer and healthier community. These projects are funded by Council, often with financial support from State and/or Federal Government. With these goals in mind Council made the following resolutions at the June Ordinary Meeting: Approve the expenditure of $100,000 grant funding through the Drought Communities Programme on the replacement of kerb and channel and the construction of a new footpath in Gilmour Street adjacent to the Council Administration Building. Council proceed with the development of a Childcare/Day Care centre and that $30,000 be included in the budget to make the facility compliant. Endorse the expenditure of $7,790 to Aussie Quick Quilts for a quilting workshop to be held in Thargomindah in September 2019 as awarded by the Regional Arts Development Committee. Endorse the expenditure of $8,820 to Cindy Stone for the Kullilli Yarning Circle Project being held in Thargomindah commencing in July 2019 as awarded by the Regional Arts Development Fund. Support the amount of $19,000 for a second teacher at the Thargomindah State School from the 2018/2019 & 2019/2020 budgets. That Council donate $500.00 to assist Jamie Hilt in his professional career. Lodge a suggestion with DNRME to have the following changes to locality names and boundaries for localities within the Bulloo Shire:- Alter the boundary of the locality Thargomindah and discontinue the localities of Dynevor, Norley and Bullawarra Amend the locality boundary of Bulloo Downs and Cameron Corner Remove Wonpa Station & Tickalara Station from Bulloo Downs and include these in the locality of Cameron Corner Change locality name of Nockatunga (includes Nockatunga Station and Noccundra Township) to Noccundra That in accordance with the Place Names Act 1994 Council provide the critical documentation required, including a Letter of Support to DNRME Bulloo Shire Council PO Box 46 Thargomindah 4492 T: 07 46218000 Fax: 07 46553131 A/H Emergencies: 0429 611 872 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bulloo.qld.gov.au A WORD FROM THE CEO ……………….………………………. While I know we are all sitting around waiting for the follow up rain, we still have to get on with the reality of life and that, for council means trying to get our work plans back on line and trying to get our projects complete to meet the end of financial year deadlines. Sadly, the Government is full of inflexible guidelines and we need to have the money spent or we will end up with incomplete projects that we will have to fund – and that is not going to happen. So we have asked all our contractors to ramp it up. Nevertheless, working under pressure lets you know you’re alive and gives a sense of satisfaction when you do bring the project in. Of course, the BIIIG news this month is getting the coffee shop up and running. Many thanks to Tamie and Sally for their imaginative problem solving that has led to us to getting the café open. We have achieved that with the help of Drew and Nathan who are backpacking around Australia and were more than willing to come out here straight away for a chance to see how you Thargomindians live in the wilds of the west. This is a two way street though. They help us, we educate them. Many thanks to them for trying on a new skill set. As the days progress they are getting better at it and everyone seems happy to have them here. The other advantage is that we can see exactly what is required to operate the café. Council is progressing its budget, and held a workshop with the Finance Manager to have a review of where we are up to and to get our capital expenditure sorted. Every year, we thankfully have our grant funding that comes through to support our roadworks. Grants such as TIDS where we go 50% with the Government funding or our Roads to Recovery (R2R) which is a fixed amount each year to put towards areas that would enhance our road systems. Projects such as drainage, floodways, sealing or simply combining the funds with other work and extending that project. We also get our Works for Queensland (W4Q) which has provided money for all our smaller projects that you have seen around town eg the walking paths etc. Drought Funding has also been part of those works but we also got the opportunity to spend $350 000 from this fund on doing some well-deserved maintenance on the Wari Gate Road. We also get what is called a Financial Assistance Grant which is untied money that goes partly towards road Maintenance but primarily towards providing us with the funds to administer the shire eg wages, equipment etc. There are other smaller specific grants that we get for special projects but also there are subsidised grants available on a 60/40 basis from our own Department of Local Government. It is this money that is helping us progress towards the completion of the Geothermal and Solar project to reduce our electricity costs, hopefully help to reduce the brown outs and as a side benefit, reduce the temperature of the water by at least 30º Sadly we can’t get any government money, or we choose not to, to purchase plant. As you can imagine, plant has a limited life out here with the distances we travel and the condition of the roads from time to time doesn’t always help. Nevertheless, Council has a rigorous programme to replace plant when it reaches its assessed life, whether that is mileage or age, we replace it. We need to fund this through the plant hire we receive from the plant or the depreciation that we charge to set aside our funds for future purchases. This all helps to keep our maintenance costs down and also provides a great opportunity for the community to access some second hand vehicles that you know have been serviced regularly and no expense has been spared to keep them operating at their peak. Council elections are coming up in March next year so I suppose some people in the community are considering their options. Acting as a councillor has some significant obligations and responsibilities with the advent of the CCC and the behaviour of some councillors in the larger Councils has led to the local government community being under much greater scrutiny than it ever was in the past. Our requirement to be transparent, seek value for money, deal with Conflicts of Interest and Material Personal Interests can possibly sway people away from the service, but it is still a great way to serve your community and work towards a better future for the whole shire. If you wish, please feel free to come and have a chat with an existing councillor or myself and we will try to clarify your concerns. Lew Rojahn Chief Executive Officer. IT’S A WRAP Last week the visitor information staff hosted our very first HUGE event, the Channel Country Quick Shears Shindig. The five day event followed on from Music in the Mulga to try and capitalise on a crowd of up to 1500 to encourage them to head out a little bit further to explore our region. The event was developed in an effort to capture the personality and individuality of the Bulloo Shire and to promote what sets us apart from the rest of the outback. When we were choosing the activities and shows for each day we focused on the diversity and historic attributes of the region and its people. The Quick Shears was the main focus of the event with sheep being the reason why this corner country was initially occupied by our early pastoralists. Sheep shearing is the most iconic trade in rural Australia with every shearer’s ability measured by the number of sheep they can shear in a day. DAY 1 - CHILLIN’ IN THARGO Day one of was an opportunity to show off Thargomindah. Our visitors enjoyed a damper and billy tea at Pelican Point, hosted by Dogga Dare and Mayor John “Tractor” Ferguson. We also conducted town tours and spoke about the history of Thargomindah, taking them through Leahy House, the Old Hospital, Old Jail and the Hydro Power Plant. The day finished off with a Bulloo Big Screen movie at the Explorers Caravan Park. DAY 2 - BIG DAY OUT COMEDY TOUR Day two of the Shindig was a road trip out to Kilcowera Station and Hungerford Royal Mail Hotel with comedians Mandy Nolan and Paul McMahon and Irish folk singer Àine Tyrrell. This was an opportunity to get everyone out of Thargomindah and to show them a little bit of the countryside. Living in this area and having to deal with the issues that arise due to the remoteness, extreme weather conditions and the drought, certainly brings an extraordinary amount of stress to the lives of the people who live out here. These hardships have developed a tough and resilient type of character which has stood the test of time. Their longevity and durability is mostly due to their ability to find humour in situations when times are tough.