Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club

Nothing in Council is ever achieved on your own but I do feel a sense of achievement in helping secure the funding for the extension and electrical upgrade at Mollymook Surf Club building at Mollymook.

The club had been successful in achieving $350,000 in grants from Dept of Sport and Recreation, they had an approved development plan and have purposely stayed away from a poker machine  driven club and kept their member focus.

The club house was in bad shape as the props holding up the roof were temporary, the roof leaked and the toilet and kitchen facilities were pretty poor quality. I was able to assist in negotiating a matching budget from Council from the contingency funds of the Ulladulla Civic Centre to help get the build underway.

The club house is now safe and looks great and the community didn't have to hand back $350,000 in grant money- a win all round.

Aboriginal Youth engagement policy

Shoalhaven City Council  launched the Aboriginal Youth Engagement Strategy this year. the strategy looks at ways that business, education and people can engage with Aboriginal Young People. the document was written by Aboriginal Young people of the Shoalhaven in conjunction with Youth and Community Services.

The launch was held and the feedback has been terrific- nice work all involved- I hope it makes a real difference in breaking down some of the barriers that Aboriginal youth face across the Shoalhaven.

Clyde Ridge Mountain Road Maintenance trials PolyCom stabiliser

Shoalhaven has numerous unsealed roads as part of its network and the ongoing costs of maintenance are quite large.

Last year I moved a motion that Council consider the use of a dirt road stabilising product called Poly Com to see if it makes the difference that the company claims i.e. less maintenance and a longer life on the grading.

The Clyde Ridge Mountain Road is a classic dirt road that has three owners, Shoalhaven City Council, National Parks and Forestry NSW. No one wants to pay for the others maintenance but the road is a major tourist route as people us it to access Didthol / Pigeon House mountain. council negotiated an outcome with the other parties and the PolyCom trial is to take place on 1klm of this rutted out road. the 2klms looks good shame about the rest though as it still feels like your teeth are falling out the ridges are so bad.

I really hope that the PolyCom application works for maybe it will free up some extra maintenance money to do a bit more of this road up in the future.

Vincentia Tree banner removed

Council took the chainsaw to the tree banner in Vincentia after two months of a three month trial.
A band of Councillors believed that the trial was an error and that the issue has divided a community- this has happened in other areas that are considered coastal clearing hotspots.

Graeme Gibson sums up the Shoalhaven saga beautifully here at the Illawarra Blog Spot in his article I think I shall never see: A poem lovely as a tree.

Council is now in the process of forming a community group to look at the issue of dune / foreshore clearing and how it can be managed better.

One thing that would be great is if real estate agents stop selling property that has 'ocean / coastal views' that cant be bought or sold for that matter.