Message from the Mayor: 9 December 2022

Published on 09 December 2022

 

Hello, I'm John Connors the mayor of the Dungog Shire, bringing you this week's mayoral message.

We had a very sad reminder of the risk of bushfires earlier in the week. A grass fire broke out on Stroud Hill Right. Fire apparently, according to reports, was commenced as a result of works being carried out on the railway line and a spark emanating from those works. A very large number of Rural Fire Service appliances and volunteers attended the scene and ultimately brought the fire completely under control.

But I think it highlights despite the very wet winter and spring we’ve had, grass is drying up and there obviously is a risk of grass fires and we should all be very careful as to the precautions we need to take to avoid disasters in the coming summer. As the day to get hotter and if we don't get further rains, then there is clearly going to be a serious risk of fires, so take care.

Council received $247,000 from the State Government’s $50 million dollar pothole repair funding scheme. Council has now received the funding agreement which has been executed and Council will now be able to start spending $247,000 on fixing some potholes throughout the shire.

Regrettably, $247,000 does not go very far. And to utilise it, we need the raw materials which is labour, gravel and emulsion. Gravel or aggregate is very difficult to source as is emulsion. And of course there are constantly labour shortages and demands.

Council is currently working out a program of works to utilise the funding as quickly as possible on the most needed sections of roads and to utilise it in a way that will be most beneficial. That may be, if allowed, that there's some heavy patching done, heavy patching such as been recently done on being up at the far end of Bingleburra Road towards Gresford and in other parts of the shire but other portions of the funds will be used on regular potholes assuming the appropriate aggregate and emotions can be sourced.

Those living or visiting East Gresford, you will have noticed that the amenities buildings and facility attached to the sportsground is now completed. It's a about a $1.2 $1.3 million project, which is now ready for use and is being used by the sporting groups that use the East Gresford field, that's dominantly soccer and cricket. It's a great facility and when one looks at it and the facility that was opened about 12 months ago at Clarence Town, both those towns have now got sporting facilities that fully complement the ovals and the sporting groups that exist within those communities.

So that's it from me. And we’ll speak to you one last time next week before Christmas. And after that, it'll be into the new year. So goodbye and goodluck.

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