Croydon Shire Council PO Box 17, 63 Samwell Street Phone (07) 4748 7100 Croydon Qld 4871 Fax (07) 4745 6147 Email [email protected] www.croydon.qld.gov.au Edition 2: March 2015 ________________________________________________________________________________________ THE MAYOR’S DESK THE DEPUTY MAYOR’S CHAIR Mayor Trevor Pickering Cr Michelle Martin Hi all in incredible Croydon. Well it looks like Well another month nearly over and we are another so called wet has passed us by with still hoping for more rain, let's hope it comes well below average rainfall in most parts of soon. Please remember we are still on level the shire. 3 water restrictions and need to be very conservative with our water in case our wet Council have been very busy of late with the season is over for the year. Elected Member Update (EMU) in Normanton, then Joanne and I travelled to Hughenden for the Northwest Queensland ROC Next time you are on a computer have a look at the Croydon meeting followed by the Regional Roads Group meeting where True Blue Information Centre Facebook page, you will find many we met the new transport and main roads Minister Mark Bailey interesting facts on there. The ladies at the centre have been and his Director General Nick Scales. Joanne made him aware very busy with many projects in the pipeline. If anyone has that we had completed all that was asked of us inside the time community notices please email them through to, line and we now need more. We had a forum on the Hann [email protected], and they will post them on the site. Highway, even though it is not something that is high on Croydon's agenda I make it a point to support all our neighbours The caravan park is all set for our two new cabins arriving this where ever I can. I spoke at length with Robbie and Bob Katter week, and will be ready for use next month. These extra cabins and asked them what they are going to do about losing Croydon will be a credit to our caravan park encouraging more tourist to in the last election, Robbie said it hurts his feelings and knows stay in our town. The council receives many positive comments he must visit more. Then it was home on the Friday night but from tourists on how lovely and inviting our caravan park is and no time to relax I had to open the batting the next morning. it is a credit to Ron and Karol for all the hard work they do in planting and maintaining the gardens and caring for the We had our council meeting and it was off to Normanton where facilities. we stayed overnight for the GSD meeting. It was good to do some networking with Burke Shire. Joanne and I have another Now that the resealing of our town roads are finished, council is busy month ahead of us with road trips to Julia Creek and arranging as soon as possible to have the line marking people Ingham. In closing I just want to let people know I will be asking here to redo the pedestrian crossings, parking and centre lines. for help soon when I have round two with young Mr Katter. Once the storms are gone council will again erect the shade cover over the pool and swings. Stay safe and good luck to all the kids this week on and off the field. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Drought Breaker Project on Saturday, 4 April at the Rodeo Grounds, I think this See you in the next Tele. will be a fabulous event and a great way to relax over Easter. Stay safe over the holidays. Croydon’s Bush Telegraph – Edition 1: February 2015 1 MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF while we partied). The green and purple cake and lamingtons EXECUTIVE OFFICER were especially impressive. Congratulations to Denise and her team for organizing the event. Joanne Jacobson It is unbelievable that we’re already a quarter of the way into the year. Sadly the wet season has been disappointing and lack of water will be a major concern for the shire again this year. On the bright side, we have some great community events coming your way and I look forward to seeing everyone at the Drought Breaker Festival Easter Weekend. COUNCIL MEETINGS At the February Council Meeting Councillors approved a donation of $10,000 to support the Poddy Dodgers Festival in June. They discussed the upcoming Local Government Election (March 2016) and agreed that there would be booths Drought Breaker Event 4 April: Easter weekend is for voting on the day of the election rather than whole-shire approaching rapidly and plans for the event at the Showground postal voting as has occurred in previous years. The Pool will are well underway. It will be a very big day. continue to be free and open on weekends for the remainder of the season. Future Date Claimers: Keep 11-17 May clear for Heritage Week activities; Tuesday 19 May for Artour ‘Squaring the At the March Council Meeting Councillors agreed to donate Wheel’; and Wednesday 3 June for the Colonial Picnic at $5,000 to the Inland Queensland Roads Action Plan a lobby Golden Gate. [Note that this date has changed.] group for better roads funding in inland Queensland, and approved an application for the building of a new shed for Bynoe Tourist Season: The tourists are starting to trickle into town Community Advancement Cooperative Society on the corner of with increased activity noted at the Information Centre and Samwell and Helen Streets. Caravan Park. Tourism is an important part of the town’s economy and we do our best to welcome the visitors and Meeting minutes contain detailed department reports and can encourage them to stay a night or two. be found on the Council Website. OTHER MEETINGS / EVENTS House Fire: We had a kitchen fire in one of our council houses School Events: The annual Croydon State School Touch this month. We are very fortunate that Leonie Folie and her Football Carnival, Gulf Club Swimming Championships and the partner were driving by, saw the smoke, and rushed to assist. dance eisteddfod are all happening in the last week of March. Acting Sargent Lawrence said that without Leonie’s prompt Mornington Island, Mt Surprise, Georgetown, Gulf Christian action we could very well have lost the whole house. Please College, Forsayth, Burketown, Karumba and Normanton commend Leonie next time you see her. And the best news is schools are all coming to Croydon so get ready for the town to that no one was injured. start humming. A10 Statement of Significance: Jan Wegner visited Croydon Live Learn Leap Competition: The games on Monday nights week ending 6 March to start on the Statement of Significance at the Rec Ground has been well attended. It is great to see for our train (one of the RADF projects). It was a successful visit regular sporting events being held for our young people. and we look forward to her report. International Women’s Day: We had a morning tea 9 March to Water Supply: Sadly the cyclone has passed us by and there celebrate Women’s day. It was an opportunity to celebrate isn’t much good news heading our way so water supply will be women’s economic, political, and social achievements. a major concern this year. We continue to work on fine tuning Everyone came decked out in pink and purple and the event our water treatment plant to maximise our water quality. In was well attended by council staff and community members (the addition we are working on bringing Butterfly North on-line in the men answered the phone and attended to the front counter near future to supplement the town dam and bore. Croydon’s Bush Telegraph – Edition 1: February 2015 2 financial year to keep Council equipment and staff gainfully Rodeo Grounds: The cold room in the big shed has had the employed with some additional assistance. wooden floor replaced with a cement slab. This will ensure that the room can be cleaned appropriately and hygiene standards ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS FUND APPLICATION: Advice are maintained. We have also done some work on the electrical has been received that Croydon was not successful with our wiring and lighting at the facility. submission to connect the bitumen segments on Richmond Road near Woodstock. This project was considered highly and Outside School Hours Care: The facility is well patronised at will be resubmitted again in the future if and when additional the moment particularly on the days that swimming is funds are released. scheduled. We have replaced the glass for the doors in the OHSC building as it has come to our attention that they did not BRIDGES RENEWAL PROGRAM FUNDING APPLICATION: contain safety glass. Advice has been received that Croydon was not successful with our submission for the upgrading of Belmore Creek on Guilford Rates Levy: Property rates for January to June have been Road and Esmeralda Creek on Richmond Road. The Federal issued. Payments received before 13 April receive a prompt Government committed $114M in round one of this program, payment discount. and committed a total of $300M over five years from 2014/2015. These projects will be resubmitted in future rounds to upgrade Animal Registrations: Renewal letters have been sent to all this site which would greatly benefit nearby properties. dog owners in town who have previously registered their pets with Council.