Mayoral Message - June 2024

Published on 01 June 2024

It has a been a busy month at Council, full of first and last times.

I was pleased to join CEO Chris Berry and Councillor Jasmin Jones to attend a meeting with the members of the Southern NSW Local Health District in Queanbeyan to discuss clinical services for the present and future in Yass Valley. In this meeting, we were given the opportunity to share current and future settlement growth plans with the health district and discuss future plans for a new hospital in Yass to cater to a future population. We were then briefed on the Yass Valley Clinical Health Service Review, discussing plans to create a Mother’s Hub at the Yass Hospital Campus.

During my stay, I took the opportunity to look at the (still standing and beautifully restored) Rusten House, which was constructed as Queanbeyan’s second hospital in 1862. It was here that recovering war historian and founder of the Australian War Memorial C.E.W. (Charles) Bean met his wife, Nursing Sister Ethel Young.

The following evening, I had the absolute pleasure to watch Yass High School’s presentation of ‘Mamma Mia’. This was a very joyful presentation of the musical and I was impressed by the levels of professionalism by the performers. The crows loved it. A huge thank you to Deputy Principal Ruth Riach for the invitation to attend and a huge congratulation to the cast, producer, musicians and everyone else involved in this wonderful production.

We are lucky to have such a talented set of high schoolers in our midst and a dedicated bunch of teachers and staff who do so much more to encourage and support their students in so many different fields.

A few days later and I was back to a theatre to watch the hilarious performance of the ‘Last Tango in Little Grimley’ and the ‘Last Panto in Little Grimley’ by the Yass Repertory Society. It was a great joy to watch the first performance this talented crew had performed since 2019.

It was a great night of fellowship at the Ewe N’ Me restaurant for the Changeover Dinner of the Yass Rotary Club on June 27. Members and guests celebrated a wonderful year for the club under the leadership of Paul Twohill and welcomed incoming President Simon Bernard and the new Board.

Paul Harris Fellows, the highest award that Rotary can bestow, were awarded to Judy Broers and Katy Walker in recognition of their outstanding service to the Yass Valley Community. We are so lucky to have this vibrant organisation continuing to provide so much support and I thank the members for the time and energy they devote to adding value to the Yass Valley. It was an honour to talk to these amazing people.

I was honoured to be given the opportunity to break ground on the new Crago Mill Precinct at the end of the month. This project has been in planning for almost 20 years after the former Council bought the land and building in 2006. I, alongside my fellow Councillors, were able to formally start the construction on the new site.

The precinct will contain a larger library, a commercial space, a community hub and a new Council Chambers and Administration building. I am excited to see this space open up a whole new set of possibilities by catering to those with a disability, ensuring our rapidly growing LGA continues to have a central hub with relevant and modern technologies to aid the community.

I am looking forward to seeing this historic site once again in use as a community resource.

That evening, I got to strike my gavel for the last time in the Council Chambers.

I have attended regular meetings as my time served as the Mayor of Yass Valley in these Council Chambers and while it was bittersweet to say goodbye, it is an exciting step forward in our community.

The Council Chambers will be one of the first areas demolished for the Crago Mill Precinct build. The customer service desk will not be affected yet by construction. All Council meetings will now take place at the Yass High School. We are incredibly grateful by this generosity while we make way for a new residence and I am again reminded of how important it is for a community to work together.

Until next month,

Allan