Mayoral Column - Wednesday 18 November 2020

The November Ordinary Council Meeting will be held this Thursday, 19 November 2020. While the meeting remains closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions, I encourage the community to participate by viewing the webcast via Council’s website or Facebook page.

Considerations to be discussed by Councillors include the Vale Street land strategy review. This report proposes a future relocation of Council’s Cooma offices to a position adjacent to the CBD and an alternative use found for this site. Also under discussion will be the proposed use of 57 Vale Street for a community resilience business and recovery hub for 12 months and the upgrade of the Adaminaby Sewerage Treatment Plant.

While the treatment plant has been on Council’s radar for some time, the population growth in the area has made this more urgent. I recently visited Adaminaby to attend the opening of the upgraded community hall and felt a vibrant air in the town with a notably visible increase in local community members and visitors.

I had the pleasure last week of attending a presentation of the Canberra Raiders’ Aspire program at Michelago School, along with local members Bronnie Taylor and John Barilaro. The program was presented by Alan Tongue and Ricky Stewart, along with a number of current Raiders’ players, and centred on the word ‘respect’. The kids were enthralled by the games which taught them to ‘pass the ball the way you would like to receive it’.

From Michelago, our local members and I travelled south to Dalgety to celebrate the opening of the Dalgety Showground Pavilion. The building has been completely renewed and grown in size, and will no doubt be a fantastic new addition for Show Day and other community events. It was great to see the revitalised tennis courts and cricket pitch too, which increases the functionality of the showground for the residents of Dalgety and surrounds.

On Remembrance Day I attended the service at the War Memorial in Berridale. Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, the services were well attended in the towns and villages across the region as we remembered the sacrifices of the men and women who have served our nation in all wars and conflicts. Thanks to other Councillors and staff members who attended services across the region.

This week is Australian Food Safety Week. The theme for 2020 is ‘Food Safety – it’s in your hands’, which aims to remind us all to take food poisoning seriously and continue the good behaviours we’ve learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information visit www.foodsafety.asn.au.

Councillor Peter Beer Mayor of Snowy Monaro Regional Council