From the Mayor's Desk | Volunteers may be at risk as regulations by air authorities are tightening up.
Council will hold its first meeting for the year tomorrow, Thursday, February 28, with a fair bit on the agenda. We are aware that two recent deceased local persons who had been sent to Newcastle for post-mortems that had taken a completely unacceptable long time to be cleared by the Coroner, to be then able to be returned to their families for funerals.
We will be making strong representations to the relevant authorities about these delays as it appears insufficient qualified staff are employed at this centre to carry out the post-mortems in a reasonable time.
Recent media reports have indicated that the number of volunteer pilots who fly Angel Flights and provide free transport for patients to and from Sydney hospitals for urgent surgery/treatment may be at risk as regulations by air authorities are tightening up. Local Doctor Peter Hanley, has sent 40 patients to Sydney hospitals via this service since he commenced at our Health Centre.
Whilst air safety should never be compromised, this valuable rural and remote service should not be put at risk from excessive regulations. Council will be monitoring this situation very closely. We are looking forward to the visit by the delegation of Nyngan High School students, who are attending our meeting to tell us about their trip to China and No 15 Middle School, late last year.
Councillors and staff joined all at the Early Learning Centre earlier this month to farewell Nichole Jenkins who has been the Director of Children’s Services at the Early Learning Centre and Bogan Bush Mobile for the last four years.
Council responded to the perceived need for childcare services in Bogan Shire and Nichole has credibly led our pioneering venture into this area to see the ELC now well established and the BBM successful through major changes and venues increase. Gifts and thanks conveyed our appreciation to Nichole for her dedication to the service and we wish her well for the future.
The quarterly review of our 18/19 budget will be presented to Council on Thursday with the small surplus across all funds of $770 to the end of December maintained. All expenditure increases have been offset by savings to keep our budget in surplus. Council is well aware of the ongoing hardships from the ongoing drought, and have made urgent requests to State and Federal Government for more assistance.
We expect to have our architect present a design to the March meeting of Council of options for renovations for the Town Hall so that costings can be worked out for this complex to replace the Palais Theatre. Our maintenance grading and resheeting roadworks continue where we have been able to obtain water. Major works include 2km of construction on Colane Road and 3km of rehabilitation Mitchell Highway completed. We are currently constructing and sealing 2km of Cockies Road, with an additional 2.7km of rehabilitation and sealing to follow. 1km of construction and sealing is also programmed for the Pangee Road.