Council in FocusIssue 17

December 2014

On behalf of the Burdekin

Shire Councillors and Council

employees, I would like to wish

our residents a safe, peaceful

and joyful Christmas.

May this festive season see

you surrounded by family and

friends, and may the New

Y ear bring happiness and

success.

- Cr Bill Lowis, Mayor

Merry Christmas

Council closures during festive periodCouncil Chambers and Burdekin Library

branches will close at 4pm Wednesday, December 24 and reopen at 8am Monday, January 5, 2015.

The Burdekin Theatre will be closed from Monday, December 22 through to Friday, January 9.

The Ayr and Home Hill Swimming Pools,

the Shire’s Waste Transfer Stations and Kirknie Road Landfill will be closed on Christmas Day.

Garbage collection services will be as normal.

In the case of an emergency residents should contact Council’s after hours emergency service on (07) 4783 9800.

Shelter opens in time for cyclone season

The Burdekin’s colourful new cyclone shelter is now open for use.

Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience, the Honourable David Crisafulli, opened the multipurpose facility on Saturday, November 29, in front of a crowd of invited guests.

The Minister was impressed with the facility which was built by locals for locals.

The official opening was then followed by the RACQ Get Ready Burdekin Family Fun Day on the Sunday.

This was the community’s opportunity to see this fantastic facility and to enjoy some free fun while learning about being prepared for a cyclone.

The new cyclone shelter will only be used for category 4 or 5 cyclones that were going to directly hit the Burdekin.

It is only for people who fear their homes

are not safe and have no friends or family to go to and for those stranded on our highways.

Now it is cyclone season - residents are reminded to prepare your “What If” plan and get your homes ready.

Clean up your yards, trim your trees and get your emergency kit together.

Our region is very resilient and we have been through a lot of cyclonic events in the past and have recovered well.

Our Local Disaster Management Group (pictured above) is meeting regularly and under the guidance of our experienced Local Disaster Coordinator, Eileen Robinson, is well prepared to deal with any event that may come our way.

The cyclone shelter/multipurpose facility was funded entirely by the Queensland Government’s Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program.

Works for this quarter include:

Capital WorksHome Hill Drainage Scheme - installing box culverts in Ninth Avenue between Seventh and Eighth Streets.

Road works

Young Street - kerbing, channelling and bitumen widening from Wickham Street to Hanelt Lane.Mountainview Road - reconstruction and widening of various sections in conjunction with NDRRA.Ivory Road - bitumen widening from

Pearce’s Bridge to Fiveways Road.Maidavale Road - completion of bitumen reconstruction of 400m section adjacent to Airdale 1 siding.

Water/Waste Water

Alternative bore field project - pipe laying has commenced.

Parks & Gardens

Home Hill Cemetery Sextons Hut is almost complete.

NDRRA*Hurney Road - reconstruction of road

adjacent to Wilmar siding in vicinity of Menkens Road. Reconstruction of various sections between Bruce Highway and Top Crossing Road.

Completed projects

Home Hill Comfort Stop upgrade, Twelfth Avenue cul-de-sac, Old Home Hill Road,Porter/De Domenico Roads, Leichhardt Street, Ninth Avenue footpath.

*These projects are being delivered under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, a joint Federal (75 per cent) and State (25 per cent) government initiative.

What’s in the Works

New water pipeline startedBusinesses get busy recycling

Burdekin businesses are getting busy recycling with the help of our Environment and Health team at Council.

Our team has visited 120 businesses around Ayr, Home Hill and the industrial precinct as part of the Getting Burdekin Business Busy Recycling project.

Council officers have been talking to businesses about their waste management systems and helping businesses discover potential savings by increasing the rate of recycling.

Council also has been offering free sorted waste bins to help make recycling easier and more convenient, which is essential in a busy workplace.

Signage, bin stickers and magnets to help raise awareness within the workplace of the importance of recycling.

This project is being undertaken in conjunction with the Australian Packaging Covenant and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

Work has started on the pipeline connecting the new Rossiter’s Hill water bore field to the Ayr-Brandon Water Supply.

The $1.225 million project will end the current problems caused by high levels of iron and manganese.

A new water supply control room has been constructed at Rossiters Hill and the pipes have been delivered. The pipes will be underbored beneath the highway and railway at Rossiter’s Hill.

The new bores mean Council will save money on chemicals used in the water to combat the iron and manganese issues.

Water will be pumped from bores to the South Ayr Water Treatment Plant prior to being reticulated to the towns of Ayr, Brandon and surrounding rural properties.

Council had received a $325,000 subsidy under the Local Government’s Grants and Subsidies Program – Infrastructure Subsidy 2013-14 toward the project.

It is expected this project will finish in March next year.

Burdekin Library Ayr gets new lookRenovations at the Burdekin

Library Ayr have been completed with the installation of a new desk and entrance area.

This caps off three years of upgrading the library’s services and facilities.

In those three years the library has installed new shelving in the adult section and revamped the children’s section.

Some of the new services

include giving patrons access to digital magazines, independent films, eBooks and online learning programs.

The new-look library will officially be launched on January 22. Stay tuned to Council’s website for details.

The work was funded by Council and the State Government’s Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program.

ӹ December 13 - School holidays

ӹ December 17 - Teddy Bears’ Picnic (Burdekin Library Ayr and Home Hill)

ӹ December 23 - Christmas Crafts (Burdekin Library Ayr and Home Hill)

ӹ December 25 - Christmas Day (Public Holiday)

ӹ December 26 - Boxing Day (Public Holiday)

ӹ January 1 - New Year’s Day (Public Holiday)

ӹ January 7 - Paint like Michaelangelo (Burdekin Library Ayr and Home Hill)

ӹ January 9 - Kite Making (Burdekin Library Ayr and Home Hill)

ӹ January 14 - Hungry Caterpillar stories and games (Burdekin Library Ayr and Home Hill)

ӹ January 16 - Book sculptures ( Burdekin Library Ayr and Home Hill)

ӹ January 22 - Burdekin Library Official relaunch

ӹ January 26 - Australia Day (Public Holiday) - Australia Day Celebrations (Burdekin Theatre)

ӹ January 27 - Back to school

ӹ February 9-14 - Library Lovers Week

For a full list of events go to the Events Calendar on Council’s website.

If you are having an event, please send details to be listed on Council’s Events Calendar.

Upcoming events

Plantation Creek cleaned of weedThousands of tonnes of water

hyacinth have been removed from the Burdekin’s Plantation Creek.

Burdekin Shire Council joined forces with the North Burdekin Water Board to clear the waterway from Hutchings Lagoon to the Bruce Highway.

There were concerns about possible damage the weed could cause to the railway line and highway if we had a flood event.

Council took the initiative to have Plantation Creek cleared to ensure there would be minimal damage caused by weeds building up against infrastructure if the creek was to flood.

It took the aquatic weed harvester and an excavator 12 days to complete the job.

Not only does the creek look a whole lot

better, but the creek environs and its inhabitants benefit greatly from better oxygen levels caused by the clearing of the weed.

It also opens up the creek to more recreational use, such as fishing and skiing.

Burdekin Shire Council is committed to protecting the Great Barrier Reef through its partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Reef Guardian Council program.

The innovative Reef Guardian Council program recognises Council’s environmentally sustainable practices and encourages identification of future opportunities and actions that will help to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Keep town drains free of green waste and rubbish

Burdekin residents are being urged to keep the town drains clear of waste in an effort to prevent flooding issues when the wet season arrives.

There have been times in the past where drains had been blocked with grass clippings and rubbish.

Green waste, plastic bags, cans and bottles have collected at the drainage inlet grates and caused a blockage which leads to flooding of roads and homes.

There are some areas in the

shire where residents have dumped their grass clippings in the town drain. These clippings should be placed in your green waste bin.

Our Council team regularly checks drains and grates to ensure they are free of blockages. These grates are necessary to prevent children and animals from entering the pipes.

Residents are urged to contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on 4783 9800 to report any drainage issue.

Get your nominations in for the 2015 Burdekin Shire Council Australia Day Awards by Friday, December 19.

Nomination forms are available from the Burdekin Shire Council Chambers in Young Street, Ayr; the Burdekin Libraries and Council’s website.

Next year’s event will be held at the Burdekin Theatre and the word is there will be an exciting new format.

i For information and suggestions on council services call the Customer Service Centre on 4783 9800 or via council’s website www.burdekin.qld.gov.au

 CONTACT COUNCIL

PO Box 974Ayr Q 4807

(07) 4783 9800

0437 886 008

www.burdekin.qld.gov.au

burdekinsc@burdekin.qld.gov.au

145 Young StreetAyr Q 4807Operating hours8am-5pm Monday-Friday

  FOLLOW COUNCIL ONLINE

Burdekin Shire CouncilBurdekin Shire Council Disaster Coordination CentreBurdekin LibraryBurdekin Theatre

@BurdekinSC@BurdekinDCC@BurdekinLibrary@BurdekinTheatre

Council’s team of accredited building certifiers can help you ensure your building site or pool fence is complying with State legislation.

They have experience and knowledge in all facets of the building and certification industry.

Our team offers prompt quotes, professional advice and assistance, and guidance through your whole building process for any residential or commercial projects primarily within the Burdekin, Townsville and Whitsunday regions as well as other areas in Queensland.

Our certification department also has two fully licensed Pool Safety Inspectors to produce Pool Safety Certificates and Reports.

Any pool that is capable of being filled with water greater than 300mm is required to have a compliant pool fence the same as a standard inground pool.

Above ground pools greater than 1.2m high, which do not have stays, only require compliant pool fencing around the ladder and filtration equipment.

Make sure there is nothing within 30cmof the fence that can be used to help climb it, such as pot plants or chairs.

Building fees are set by Council as at July 1 each year and are broken up into two categories:

ӹ Lodgement fee, which covers administration and processing of the application, and

ӹ Assessment fee, which covers the certifier assessing and approving the documentation and carrying out all relevant inspections with certificates being issued.

Call our team if renovating, building or fencing a pool

BSC Certifier Keith Lewty shows how the position of these pot plants make a

fence non-compliant.

Community Devt moving house

Council’s Community Development team will to relocate to the Burdekin Library Ayr by the end of this year.

Work has started on creating an office for the team within the Library.

The move is part of Council’s strategy to create a community hub which will encompass the Burdekin Library, Burdekin Theatre, Music Loft and the Theatre Forecourt.

The main focus of the Community Development team next year will be to create a central place where you, our residents, will want to go.

The vision is to have a vibrant community hub which will be used for community

activities, programs, entertainment and events in the Burdekin.

The move is part of a larger review of Council infrastructure and services aimed at finding cost savings for our ratepayers.

Library Services Manager John Scott and Community Development Manager Tony

Vaccaro at the site of the new office.

Library holiday funWednesday, December 17 – Teddy

Bears Picnic stories and games, with Lisa Zabel from Kindergym

Tuesday, December 23 – Christmas Crafts (including Gingerbread reindeer and ornaments)

Wednesday, January 7 – Paint Like Michelangelo (painting upside down under the tables!)

Friday, January 9 – Kite MakingWednesday, January 14 – Hungry

Caterpillar stories and games, with Lisa Zabel from Kindergym

Friday, January 16 – Book Sculptures

Ayr Library 10.30am – 11.30amHome Hill Library 2.30pm – 3.30pm