At its ordinary meeting held on February 20th, 2019, council’s Director Assets & Operations (DAO) presented a report entitled Land Divestment Options, designed to inform councillors regarding the possible disposal or retention of 13 parcels of ratepayer-owned land.
While council subsequently resolved how to deal with the bulk of the parcels of land originally included in the February report, consideration of the future of Lot 121 on Arthur Kaine Drive, opposite Merimbula Airport & adjacent to the Waterview Apartments, was deferred for future review.
Three months later, at council’s ordinary meeting on May 8th, the
DAO was back again
with a further report making recommendations in respect of the
Arthur Kaine Drive site.
The most remarkable thing about the
DOA’s latest report is just how similar it is to the original February report. Indeed, apart from the addition of some historical detail on the land & the amendments to the specific land references, the report was remarkably similar (
those interested can see the latest report here, with those sections highlighted in
red being identical to the February report, while the four paragraphs highlighted in
green that were included in the original report have been excluded from the latest version).
Based on the its comparative analysis, the association has concluded that the bulk of Mr Jesson’s original criticisms of the February report have simply been ignored when it comes to the report tabled at the May 8th, 2019 council meeting.
It is abundantly clear that council officials are wilfully determined to ignore the voices of knowledge & experience available to them, notwithstanding that it is the interests of residents & ratepayers that are jeopardised by such behaviour, while those officials remain wholly unaccountable for any consequences that might arise.
But surely that wouldn’t be too big an obstacle for a council that has shown itself capable of manipulating the shire’s planning system to accommodate a Bunnings Warehouse development on residential land?
And while councillors found time in the same meeting to consider the potential implications of renewing the lease of nearby ratepayer-owned Lot 102 to Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club, in the context of the future needs of the adjacent Merimbula Airport, oddly, similar concerns were not voiced in respect of Lot 121, along with potential implications that could arise in the future should Arthur Kaine Drive need to be realigned to accommodate expansion of the airport.
Nothing to see there.
No discussion or questions as to the imperative for selling the land; no discussion as to potential risk implications involving Merimbula Airport; the need for community consultation dismissed out of hand by council officials; no suggestions as to how the land might be developed for the benefit of the community; no “value-adding” suggestions for its possible use & the usual vague requirements of council officials that will basically allow them to do whatever they like with the proceeds of any sale.
In fact, just more of the same, shambolic approach to management & planning that has come to characterise this council: a disaster one day, heralding an even bigger disaster the next (
a useful coaching story can be found here).
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au