Gunnedah Shire Council June meeting briefs

June 17, 2021

Council supports memorial project

Gunnedah Shire Council will support a move to create a lasting memorial to World War I nurse Annie Egan. Annie was born on August 22, 1891, and lived at Emerald Hill after her family moved to the property “Rosewood” from Gundagai.

Annie contracted Spanish flu while nursing soldiers with the Australian Army Nursing Service and died on December 3, 1918, at the age of 27. Annie, a Catholic, was refused the Last Rites. This caused national outrage and clergymen were then permitted into the hospital.

She was buried with full military honours at North Head’s Third Quarantine Cemetery in NSW.

Council has approved a request to provide in-kind support for the installation of a memorial plaque for Annie beside the Gunnedah Water Tower Museum and hold a civic reception to mark its opening.

New Council remuneration rates set

Councillor and Mayoral fees will be updated in the 2021/22 financial year in line with the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal.

The tribunal has awarded an annual fee increase of 2 per cent to come into effect from July 1, 2021. The increase was approved at the June Council Meeting this year and will take the annual Mayoral allowance to $27,060 and Councillor fees to $12,400 a year.

Council prepares for clearer broadcasting

Gunnedah Shire Council will be looking at improved audio and video broadcasting for meetings in the Council Chambers following an approved budget allocation this week.

A report to Council noted that video conferencing provisions had become more mainstream and webcasting of Council meetings had become “the new normal” since the start of COVID-19. Instead of renewing the current audio equipment, Council voted to make an additional funding allocation to provide clearer broadcasts from the Chambers to make the meetings more accessible to Gunnedah Shire residents.

Support for village upgrades

Gunnedah Shire Council has endorsed a recommendation to seek Crown Reserve Improvement Fund grants for three village projects.

Council will submit an upgrade to the Mullaley Park toilet block, the Carroll Park toilet block and the Hamilton Park boundary fence at Curlewis for grant funding.

The Crown Reserve Improvement Fund, along with other funding programs, has helped implement significant infrastructure upgrades at the Gunnedah Showground over the past two years, including a new rodeo arena, new main arena lighting, upgraded amenities buildings and a new kitchen for the Griffiths pavilion.

Caption: The Annie Egan Memorial will be constructed beside the Gunnedah Water Tower Museum in Anzac Park.

ENDS

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