Central Coast Council: five decisions from September 10 meeting
The region’s water supply, future council jobs, plans for an artificial reef, a new lifeguard trial and a footy club house that’s still not built were among key issues at last night’s council meeting. We were there, here’s what happened.
Central Coast
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1. Water worries
Central Coast Councillors have responded to the region’s dwindling water supply and ongoing drought by calling for a new report.
Total Water storage in local dams was at just over 60 per cent two weeks ago with no significant inflows since and continues to fall. The trigger point for water restrictions is reached when dam levels are at 42 per cent.
Cr Greg Best raised the issue at last night’s council meeting with a notice of motion which asked for a number of water security options to be considered including raising the trigger point for water restrictions, and investigating the old Lakes Beach desalination plan as a “safety net”.
Cr Best described the ongoing decline in water storage as “the elephant in the room” and said he clearly remembered the serious situation at the last drought when water supply got down to 13 per cent in Mangrove Dam.
“If we don’t get it right we are doomed for a repeat of 2007,” Cr Best said.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the last drought and this is not going away,” he said.
Deputy mayor Chris Holstein also recalled the severity of the last drought.
“They were very difficult times for the community and for council and I hope we don’t get to that point again,” he said.
Council eventually voted for a staff report which would look at all options including different trigger points, increased efficiency and different sources of water. It will also look at broad picture issues such as climate change and Wallarah 2 coal mine and how they will impact on water supply.
a member of the public, Diane Gosling, addressed council urging it to introduce water restrictions earlier and to keep the public informed of water supply levels.
“The public should be told,” Mrs Gosling said.
2. Fishing for funds
Central Coast Council will ask the State Government to establish artificial reefs in the region as it weighs into debate on proposed marine parks for the area.
Similar reefs are being built at Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
While declaring in principle support for the marine park plan, Council has urged the government to consult closely with local fishing groups and look at more opportunities for recreation fishing tourism on the Central Coast.
Cr Bruce McLachlan told council last night that under the marine park proposal the Central Coast would get the biggest locked out area in the state but the State Government was not investing in fishing infrastructure like an artificial reef.
“It’s the Central Coast’s turn — if they are going to take something off us, they should give us something back,” he said.
Central Coast fishing charter boat operator Scott Thorrington addressed the council meeting and said he was strongly in favour of the artificial reef proposal.
He said fishing injected a lot of money into the local economy and should be supported.
He said local fishers were in favour of conservation but believed there were much bigger threats to fish stocks than recreational fishing — including pollution.
Mayor Jane Smith said Council wanted to ensure the right balance between the need to protect the natural marine environment and provide recreational fishing opportunities on the Central Coast.
Council will now lodge a formal submission to the marine park consultation confirming in-principle support for marine parks and calling for consideration of artificial reefs on the Coast by the 27 September deadline.
3. More council jobs
The merged Central Coast Council could employ more people in the future according to the new CEO Gary Murphy.
Mr Murphy made the comment at last night’s council meeting during discussions of the current restructure of senior management positions on the merged council.
This restructure will see the number of senior managers reduced from 13 to 11, including the dismantling of the assets, infrastructure and business directorate.
However, when asked if more positions would be lost Mr Murphy said the restructure was a “point in time”.
“A further review may be needed in the future,” he said.
“None of this is cast in concrete, but for the time being it will remain in place,” he said.
Mr Murphy told council the organisations was “under-resourced” in some areas and could well need more human resources in the future.
4. Pool patrol trial
Swimmers at The Entrance ocean baths will feel a bit more secure after Council voted last night to trial year round lifeguard patrols.
Council lifeguards will be on duty at The Grant McBride Baths for five hours a day from April to September which will be in addition to their normal patrol hours.
The baths are currently patrolled from 9am to 5pm during off peak beach patrol season from September to November and February to April and from 9am to 6pm during peak summer period in December and January.
Council also completes weekend and public holiday patrols at The Grant McBride Baths during the beach patrol season.
Mayor Jane Smith said council had listened to community requests for the service.
the cost of the change is about $27,000 annually and the use of the pool during the winter will be closely monitored.
5. Club house plan
There was good and bad news for the long suffering members of Wyong lakes Football Club who have been waiting for five years for a new club house.
The club house was destroyed by fire in 2013 with council approving a development application for a new clubhouse last year. a tender process began at that time.
The bad news is that council staff have deemed all the tenders unsuitable including one that was not compliant and three that were significantly over budget. The tender process now has to start again.
The good news is that council has managed to secure $259,000 in extra State Government funding for the project, and this will be matched by Council.
Mayor Jane Smith said Council has worked closely and been in regular consultation with representatives of the Wyong Lakes Football Club to work towards the delivery of a replacement facility to meet the community’s needs.
“We understand the need to provide recreational facilities in this growing area of the Coast and we do want to see this facility replaced as soon as possible,” Mayor Smith said.
“We also need to balance the need of providing the right facility and a price that is reasonable and that is what we will do in the next process.”