mosman news - spring 2012

Spring 2012Volume 6 Issue 3

Welcome from the Mayor

www.mosman.nsw.gov.au

At this first Ordinary meeting of Council in the four year period 2012 to 2016, I should like to welcome my fellow councillors, council staff and visitors to this meeting. I congratulate the six councillors on winning a strongly contested election. I believe that we have an especially capable and community minded group of councillors who will serve the community well.

Speaking for myself, it is an honour at any time to be Mayor of Mosman. It is a special honour to be the first popularly elected Mayor of Mosman for a period of four years.

I am conscious that with this honour comes a great responsibility. I trust that I can reciprocate the honour by maintaining the service and trust that is expected of the office.

In our fast-changing society, there are many challenges. Undoubtedly we will be under pressure to increase housing and to accommodate more population and more visitors, and motor vehicle traffic will almost inevitably increase. We also face the threat of loss of identity via amalgamation.

These pressures will challenge our quality of life. We are privileged to have inherited a beautiful part of a peaceful and prosperous country. It is our responsibility to preserve this environment not only for ourselves but also for future generations.

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Following the September local government elections

Mosman has a new Mayor, Cr Peter Abelson and six

Councillors. Full contact details are provided on the back page of this Spring edition of Mosman News.As one of his first official duties Cr Abelson presented a Mayoral Minute (see right) to the Council meeting held on 2 October.

A New Council

Welcome from the Mayor Continued

Hands off Mosman!

One way in which we do have the power to maintain our quality of life is through building up, and living through, our community. In the words of the poet John Donne, “No man is an island”. The local community is especially important in a large city.

My aim as Mayor is to provide the community of Mosman with an inclusive, friendly and professional service. The Council should be both the centre of the community and the servant of the community.

I would like any resident or ratepayer in Mosman to feel that we in the Council are here to help you as far as we reasonably can do so. Of course in the first instance it is the council officers who will provide this service and respond to the requests of the community. But ultimately I as the elected Mayor along with the elected councillors must take the responsibility for ensuring that the community receives the services that you may reasonably expect. And we will accept this responsibility. If you come to us, we will listen and do the best we can to help.

On the other hand I also call for members of our community to work with, and assist, us in any way that you can. Already a large number of volunteers assist the Council in providing a range of social services and some limited professional services. I believe that many others in our community may wish simply to help others and many have expertise in areas such as architecture, urban design, landscaping, traffic and engineering. We in Council will examine how such assistance can be utilised most constructively. I ask anyone who wishes to work with us to please inform me, another councillor or a senior Council officer of your willingness to assist and of your special interests.

And so I conclude: let us work together over the next four years to build a supportive, tolerant and creative community that will enhance the lives of all who live within our community.

At the recent local government elections Mosman electors were asked their view on whether Mosman Council should amalgamate with any other council(s).

An overwhelming 81.3% said NO, and the results have been forwarded to the State Government’s Independent Local Government Review Panel. The results were consistent with polls that had been held in previous years.

Council has already resolved that a special committee be established for the sole purpose of seeking to ensure that Mosman continues to operate as an independent council. Residents who share the view that Mosman should continue to operate as an independent local government entity and who would like to serve on the committee are invited to put their names forward to the Mayor.

It's that time again – every two years Mosman celebrates excellence in building design. If you have built within the last two years you may like to nominate your design for the Mosman Design Awards.

What do 3 Burrawong Avenue, 63 Muston Street and 17 Stanley Avenue have in common? They have all won a Mosman Design Award. You too can be in great company by nominating for these awards.

Nominations open Monday 15 October and stay open until Friday 7 December. They can be completed online at www.mosmandesignawards.com.au.

Even if you haven't built recently you can follow the progress of the awards on facebook at mosmandesignawards or follow us on twitter @mosmanplanning. One of the awards is the popular People's Choice Award which will be open for voting in January 2013. Be part of this fun event by voting for your favourite.

Bungaree: The First Australian

24/7 Youth Film Festival

A new website is up-and-running to encourage local involvement in developing Council's next Community Strategic Plan, MOSPLAN 2013-2023. This plan will set the direction for future service delivery by Mosman Council and the Mosman community more generally. Log on to take a look at the site, see what others have already had to say and consider taking part in the online discussion forums and surveys that will continue to be refreshed over the next few months. mosplan.mosman.nsw.gov.au

Council is looking for sponsors to support Mosman’s 2012 Christmas Window Decoration Competition. If you think you can assist please contact Di Lawrence on 9978 4008.

Calling Local Businesses

Sponsorship Opportunity

Engage to be Engaged!Council is currently reviewing its Community Engagement Strategy to help ensure its future approach to community consultation and engagement is relevant, accessible and effective. To assist with the review, a Community Engagement Survey is being undertaken to gauge resident opinion on past and current consultation and to seek ideas on how consultation practices can be improved. Complete the survey online or download a copy www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/news/2012/10/02/engage-to-be-engaged or request a copy by calling 9978 4095 or 9978 4257. The survey closes Wednesday 31 October.

Join us for ‘Breakfast at the Gallery’Thursday 1 November, 7.30–9am.

Share breakfast with other local business people, tour Mosman Art Gallery's acclaimed exhibition Bungaree – The First Australian and take part in a facilitated conversation on aspirations, challenges and priorities for business in Mosman. Feedback received will contribute to Council's next Community Strategic Community Plan (MOSPLAN), due for adoption in June 2013.

RSVP by Friday 26 October essential, contact

Jeannie Moran-Fahey, 9978 4095, [email protected] or

Annie Landis, 9978 4257, [email protected] to confirm attendance.

Scan this QR code using your web-enabled smart phone to access the site.

To commemorate the centenary of World War One, Mosman Library is creating an online resource to collect and display information about the wartime experiences of local service people.

We want your memories, your stories, your photographs – whatever you're willing to share. Come to our OPEN DAY and SCAN-A-THON on Saturday 10 November at Mosman Library. Professional scanning and digitisation services will be at hand to help you add your contributions to the site.

A range of experts will also be ready to help you with your own queries. www.mosman1914-1918.net

Do you have photos, letters or memorabilia relating to Mosman's WWI history?

Mayor of Mosman Cr Peter Abelson recently presented Chris Roussos and Nicky Lee with prizes for their entries in Postcards from the Future competition. School-aged children were invited to present their ideas on a postcard to show what would make Mosman the best place to be in the year 2050.

Primary school children decorated postcards with their vision of a ‘future Mosman’ while older students wrote entries describing Mosman in the year 2050. Almost 300 entries were submitted in total. The ideas put forward in the entries will help inform Council’s next Community Strategic Plan.

Visit the MOSPLAN website and view the creative entries online.

Postcards from the Future

MDAOSMANME S I G NDWARDSA

twothousandandthirteen

On Exhibition until Sunday 25 November

The biggest exhibition project staged by Mosman Art Gallery to date, Bungaree: the First Australian is an exhibition of commissioned artworks by fifteen emerging and established contemporary NSW Aboriginal artists. The artists have created new artworks to acknowledge and critically re-interpret the story

of Bungaree, known as the Chief of the Broken Bay Aborigines and a central figure in early Colonial Sydney.

Curated by renowned Aboriginal curator Djon Mundine, the exhibition features artworks by France Belle-Parker, Mervyn Bishop, Daniel Boyd, Karla Dickens, Fiona Foley, Adam Hill, Warwick Keen, Gary Lee, Peter McKenzie, Danie Mellor, Caroline Oakley, Rea, Gordon Syron, Leanne Tobin and Jason Wing.

All of the films have been submitted, the judges have had their say, the big screen has welcomed the films, and record numbers of participants and their families have viewed them. The feedback is unanimous, in its 10th year the 24/7 Youth Film Festival was bigger and better than ever before. From its humble beginnings ten years ago the 24/7 Youth Film Festival has grown to be Australia's largest and most highly-regarded youth specific film festival and now operates as a stepping stone for young film makers to hone their craft and transition to professional careers within the film industry.

The festival consists of a series of skills development workshops, a film making weekend in which teams of young people are set the challenge of creating a short film of seven minutes or less within 24 hours, a screening where all submitted films are shown on big screens across the region, and the grand final and awards ceremony where the top films are recognised.

This years ‘Best Film’ award was taken out by Ryan Sommerfield, a long time entrant of the festival and his team with their film ‘Pie’. You can view their film and other finalists films at www.247youthfilmfestival.com.au

3 Burrawong Avenue 63 Muston Street 17 Stanley Avenue

Your say on Mosman’s Future

Warwick Keen, The many faces of Bungaree (detail)