Royal Military College - Duntroon Training Exercise in Cooma - Mayoral Column - 16 May 2018

You may have noticed military personnel in Cooma over the last few days. Don’t be alarmed, it’s part of a peace-keeping training exercise for the Royal Military College (RMC) – Duntroon.

The RMC exercise will run from Thursday 17 May, to Friday 1 June. The training is an important part of the development of RMC’s cadets. Cadets will conduct armed (using blank ammunition) foot patrols through Cooma. In streets where patrols are set to occur, residents will be notified by RMC through a letter-box drop in the days leading up to the relevant exercise.

Non-mandatory vehicle checks will also take place. Motorists are advised that they’ll have the option of participating in the vehicle checks. I ask residents to remain calm as this is a non-threatening exercise.

Last week, I joined Councillors and staff in Cabramurra where we were met with our equivalents at Snowy Valleys Council and with representatives from the Department of Planning and Environment. We were taken through the application and approval process for Snowy 2.0. Winter had arrived early, as snowfalls greeted us.

The rollout of the Stronger Communities Fund Major Projects continues to take shape. Following the unveiling of a further three completed projects last week, the community is now being asked to have their say on plans for a new playground at Cooma’s Nijong Oval.

The Nijong Ninja Park is set to become one of the region’s most exciting recreational spaces and it’s now time to have your say on the playground’s concept design. Head along to the Your Say website, and provide feedback from Wednesday 16 May to Monday 4 June.

Council will meet on Thursday night at the Bombala Community Centre from 5pm. In next week’s column, I will provide an update on the issues and decisions that went before Council.

On Friday night, I will join Councillors, staff and the business community for the inaugural Snowy Monaro Business Awards. The evening will celebrate the success of local businesses and thank them for the contribution they make to the Snowy Monaro region. It’s set to be an enjoyable occasion.

Mayor Snowy Monaro Regional Council, John Rooney