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Collapse Issue 530:<br />18 Oct 2021<br />_____________Issue 530:
18 Oct 2021
_____________
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Labor candidate calls for release of skate park money
CWA installs second footpath library
Walk-in Pfizer clinic at Woy Woy hospital on Friday
Association makes public inquiry submissions available
Peninsula close to 75 per cent fully-vaccinated
Woy Woy Bay wharf repairs to start in November
Face-to-face bridge games to resume
Lions Club cancels car boot sale until next year
Umina CWA resumes meetings
Community garden covers beds for summer
Overseas trips are imagined
Online fundraiser is now open
Tesch co-sponsors voluntary assisted dying bill
Window display competition will run again
Thunderstorm brings 28.1mm of rain
Collapse  PLANNING PLANNING
Petition on Ettalong building height presented to Minister
Booker Bay site to be levelled for dual occupancy
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
When Open Forum is not open
Village needs a balance of bush and risk management
Residents rightly concerned about Ettalong character
Inquiry's anticipated scenario playing out?
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Hospital visiting guidelines change
First rapid antigen tests arrive on the Peninsula
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Two plays presented virtually to end a long drought
Author shortlisted for Victorian Premier's history award
Art trail scheduled for December
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
College elections under way
Classroom doors and windows to be kept open
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Netball 'clubhouse pack-up' starts
Women's bowling AGM
Players wanted for all girls' cricket
Athletics uniform recycling encouraged
Roster for greens use as bowls resumes
Free shirt and cap for men's softball players
Junior cricket launch at Umina
Umina men's bowling annual meeting
Unicycle club to meet at community centre

When Open Forum is not open

Addressing council can be a daunting thing to do.

You need be motivated, passionate or upset on a subject to cross the threshold from "There is nothing I can do" to "Yes, I want to make a difference".

You ruminate about it, jot down some notes, decide not to and then finally look up the way to apply.

Surprisingly, you can apply to address council meeting up to 10am on the same day of their fortnightly meeting - impressive.

So having honed my speech I submit.

"This is being reviewed in relation to Open forum requests," I get in reply.

Then a few hours later: "You are not approved to speak tonight."

"There is not an opportunity to appeal" was the final ruling.

I did get a call and finally manage to speak to a council manager a few days later, who apologised and was able to explain the rules.

It seems the title of my speech contravened one of the guidelines.

Of the 12 guidelines, the two key ones are:

2. In Public Forum, you can only speak about an item that is listed on the agenda.

3. In Open Forum, you should not speak on items that have previously be determined by Council or which are currently on public consultation or exhibition.

Number two I understand, but number three ... really ?

The Administrator has commented he wants more public feedback, but how are we to allow open debate when we are limited?

In my opinion, rule three should be modified or scrapped.

I did change the title and was allowed to submit my speech and this time was allowed to speak.

I did have great support from council staff who made time for a quick practice session to ensure the technology would work.

So on the night after my nervous three minutes, it was response time.

I did get an on-air reply from director Cox, who acknowledged that the public are currently excluded from commenting on height rezoning, something impacting the delicate Ettalong foreshore.

However, he did manage skip over the fact that public consultation showing 89 per cent of respondents did not want to change the path at Mt Ettalong.

For a $1.7m project, you could probably save $400,000, just by listening to the public you are there to serve.

And we wonder why the council are in so much debt.





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