COUNCIL BRIEFS
With Cr Geoff Littler

A LOT has been said recently by people outside of council about the council’s financial position. What has not been provided is all the facts. For the information of our residents, I present some financial facts about Maroochy Shire Council:

Total assets: $1.2 billion. Total liabilities: $185 million. Cash in the bank: Varies from a low of $24 million to a high of bout $70 million. Annual operation income: $140 million.

If these facts were put into the context of an individual, Joe Bloggs, they would look something like this: Joe owns a home and car worth $300,000 on which he has a loan of only $45,000. He earns $35,000 a year and has a savings account that fluctuates between $6000 and $18,000 during the year. Would you say that Joe is in a financial mess or doing quite nicely for himself?

RECENTLY I received a complaint that smoke associated with the burning of timber on a rural property was causing concern to the neighbours. Smoke can be very stressful to a number of people and I urge those people so affected to register with their rural fire brigade so their concerns can be taken into account when a permit to burn is issued. Further, I understand that State Member for Mooloolah Bruce Laming MLA is looking into the whole issue of smoke nuisance on the coast and hopefully his interest will see better controls being put into place.

MEETING times for Maroochy Shire Council are about to change. There will now be two Planning and Development Committee meetings each month and more matters will be dealt with by committees, which could see general meetings reduced to a couple of hours rather than a day or more. A maximum of three appointments will be allowed at any general or committee meeting, occupying no more than a cumulative 90 minutes at each meeting. General meetings will be on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month starting at 9am. Committee meetings are: Planning and Development second and fourth Wednesday from 9am; Engineering Services, third Tuesday, commencing 9am; Environment and Community Services, third Wednesday commencing 9am and Finance and Corporate Services, fourth Tuesday commencing at the conclusion of the general meeting on that day.

COMMUNITY information sessions in the Rail Towns Local Area Plans consultation process will be held at Eudlo and Woombye in July. The sessions will explain to the community why the study is being undertaken, what will be the outcomes and give an overview of the study process. A register of residents, businesses and community groups interest in ongoing participation will be created.

The Woombye meeting will be held on July 10, at the School of Arts Hall and the Eudlo meeting on July 8, at the Eudlo Hall.

RESEARCH suggests that more than 95% of business people will be affected by amendments to the local law relating to the control of advertising signs. An estimated 70% of business people will need to modify their signs in some way to comply with the policy during its phase-in. The decisions is aimed at improving presentation, reducing numbers of signs and improving quality.