Look with a new, investigative perspective
SEVEN years is a good stretch of time to serve on the council, as Mayor Geoff Kettle has demonstrated. But I note that quite a few other long-serving councilors are still putting up their hands (GP 10/8). One has been there over 30 years!
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As we all think about whom we should vote for in this coming council election, it might be time for a new broom to sweep clean and bring people with progressive ideas and a fresh outlook.
It’s time the long serving councilors were moved aside if they can’t do it themselves. For instance, the previous council didn't seem to think a community solar farm was worth thinking too hard about. They knocked back a perfectly reasonable proposal to defer the cost of a development application until CE4G had the funds to repay the council. They didn’t even bother to debate the issue.
The old council built the so-called “multi function facility” on the edge of town without any consideration to sustainability principles. Instead of facing north to catch the sun, it faces east, to catch the races. It cost our community more than $6 million for that white elephant. Take a look at the fabulous Entertainment Complex that Nowra has built and you can see why Goulburn has been sold a dud.
There is so much more a progressive council could do to bring Goulburn into the 21st century.
We need councilors who can look at things with a new and more investigative perspective and who can move this city forward, rather than marking time and wasting our hard earned rates on failed projects.
Ed Suttle, ‘Kulathirrie’, Goulburn.
Sincere thanks post-accident
ON behalf of my wife Jenny and myself, I would like to publicly thank those (unknown) people who helped Jenny immediately after her accident in Auburn St on Tuesday, August 9.
Also, I wish to thank the ambulance paramedics,the police officers and the nurses, doctors and staff of the Goulburn Base Hospital for their wonderful work and caring attitude for Jenny's welfare. Please accept our sincere appreciation and thanks.
Bruce Harvey, Goulburn.
Chores for councillors
I WOULD like to give a list of jobs to everyone standing to be elected to council. All these jobs are urgent and have been for years and some are actually mistakes from previous councils.
- Remove all trees in streets where power lines are above and plant trees that will not grow over 3.5m. This would cost a bit, but make a big saving in the long run.
- Widen all arterial roads between towns in the area to reduce accidents with wild animals etc, reduce the cost of clearing roadside vegetation and reduce damage to road surfaces by big, heavy vehicles that use the dirt to pass each other.
- Rip up or back-fill roads where the medium strip is too high for emergency vehicles, ie. Bourke St in front of St John of God Hospital.
- Seal all footpaths with hot mix to reduce people having accidents because the edges on concrete blocks have risen for whatever reason. If hot mix is not acceptable, then leave them as grass and mow them on a regular basis.
- Victoria Park should have 45 degree parking all around it and no cars should be allowed to enter the park area to make it safer for people.
- Also at Victoria Park, the footpath should be wider and fenced so schools and people getting fit can run safely around the park. This walkway could be Half grass and the other half Hot Mix so cyclists could use it to stay fit.
If you are a person standing for election to council, please keep a list of these jobs and act on them if elected.