the CEO Update here

IX 75771
From the CEO’s Desk
The April Ordinary Meeting of Council was held on
Friday 17 April 2015. The meeting agenda was
quite extensive and led to a busy and productive
day.
Since the construction of the Wild Dog Barrier
Fence (WDBF) accommodation unit in Adavale
approximately 20 years ago, Quilpie Shire Council
has allowed the WDBF project full access to the
land and a permanent building for staff
accommodation at no cost. At the meeting Council
formalised its position to continue to support the
Wild Dog Barrier Fence operations in Adavale at no
cost to the Project Management group. A formal
Memorandum of Understanding with the Wild Dog
Barrier Fence Project group will be made to this
certainty to this arrangement.
Cr Mackenzie welcomed the representatives of
Mulga Mates to the meeting. Lauren Bond, Tina
Fraser and Alisha Moody updated Council on the
current and projected sustainability of the Centre.
Quality day care and early education is forefront on
the priorities of many young families. To meet
stringent regulations and expectations significant
time and resources are required. The Mulga Mates
Committee work tirelessly week in and week out to
ensure the centre remains viable and operative.
Parents of the children (many who work full time
themselves) not only pay fees, but also donate
countless hours fund raising to meet the financial
obligations of the centre. Quilpie is certainly
fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers in this
area.
Correspondence was received from the Quilpie
Diggers Race Club requesting Council’s permission
for the Club to permanently commemorate the life
of K.J. Costello and the contribution he made to
the racing industry by erecting a memorial in a
suitable location at Bulloo Park. Council supports
this initiative and will meet with the Club to
determine the best location.
A meeting of the Quilpie Common User Group was
held in February. The group asked Council for
permission to muster any goats found on the
common and for the proceeds from the sale of all
goats and un-mothered calves go towards the
purchase of a bull or subsidise supplements
purchased. Council did not approve this request as
it felt there were not that many goats on the
common and that it would be better if the group
did not expand mustering and trucking activities to
goats.
Due to upcoming changes in the program, Council
adopted revised Regional Arts Development Fund
(RADF) program and committee guidelines. The
new guidelines allow the Committee to target
funding to better suit the needs of the community.
The Council also resolved to engage specialist
consultancy firm Steve Clarke Marketing to
develop a long term Arts and Cultural Plan for the
Shire. At a cost of $13,500 the project will be
undertaken subject to funding being secured under
the 2015-16 RADF program.
Several Councillors and I attended the 2015 SWLGA
meeting in Thargomindah on 31 March 2015. At
that meeting the Queensland Police Service
presented a proposal to provide a mobile youth
facility that can be utilised as a mobile youth
centre to travel the district, providing all manner of
activities and support for events. The facility will
be able to be configured to suit specific events and
activities, and will also be utilised to provide drug
and alcohol education, internet safety advice, bike
safe programs, bullying programs and other youth
orientated programs. If the project proceeds,
Council resolved to contribute $10,000 in the 201516 financial year.
By letter of 4 March 2014, The Department of
Natural Resources and Mines advised Council of
various anomalies between local government
boundaries and suburb/locality boundaries.
Council has spoken with property owners and
Barcoo and Bulloo Shire Councils and have
requested five (5) minor boundary adjustments
which would see individual rural properties
IX 75771
retained within one local government area rather
than split across two.
Council asked the public to submit suggestions for
the naming of the new road which forms part of
the Industrial Subdivision. Fourteen (14) names
were submitted for consideration and Council
adopted Ken Andrew’s suggestion Anzac Drive.
There are stringent regulations on the use of the
word Anzac, and as such, approval must be granted
from the Federal Minister for Veterans’ Affairs for
the naming of this road. A request was forwarded
and we are currently awaiting a response.
The matter of the zoning of some residential land
as “Commercial” was discussed at the February
2015 Ordinary Meeting of Council and Council
indicated that they would like to proceed with a
minor amendment of the Quilpie Shire Planning
Scheme. Other amendments to reflect changes
associated with the industrial and rural residential
land acquired from the Quilpie Town Common and
the residential subdivision in Chipu Street Quilpie
are also included. This is progressing and should be
completed in the not too distant future.
Council considered a number of applications for
the conversion of leasehold land to freehold. We
have noticed that a high volume of applications
and enquiries relating to this by property owners
has been received over the past twelve months so
there is obviously significant interest from the rural
sector in freeholding GHPL leases.
Planning for construction of the new Council
Depot is well underway. At the meeting Council
shortlisted eight (8) companies (out of 17 who
applied) who will be invited to tender on the
works. Tender documents should be finalised and
forwarded to these companies within the next
couple of weeks. It is hoped construction will
commence in August.
Council has received a number of enquires /
requests from the public over the past month:
 Legal advice confirming the legality of Council to
rate mining leases will be forwarded to one
resident;
 Council will engage a qualified Environmental
Health Officer to undertake a detailed review of
the Quilpie landfill operations to see if any
improvements can be made;
 A request to share costs in the construction of a
new dividing fence between a private
homeowner and a Council house was denied (as
Council feels the existing fence is adequate);
 We will assess accessibility issues for (especially
the elderly) pedestrians crossing Brolga Street
and accessing Council buildings;
 Council resolved that there will be no
introduction of further parking controls in Brolga
Street;
 Copy of correspondence received requesting a
pedestrian crossing in Brolga Street will be
forwarded to the Department of Main Roads for
their consideration (as the street is under their
jurisdiction);
 Council resolved to maintain the public Opal
Fossicking site on the western side of town as it
believes it is beneficial to our local tourism
industry.
Other various policy and governance matters were
also reviewed during the day. Items such as the
Enterprise Risk Management Policy, Delegations
Register and the Queensland Audit Office report to
Parliament were some of the necessary matters
considered by Council. Council also dealt with
various rates requests and reviewed the current
Operational Plan.
The next Ordinary Meeting of Council is scheduled
for 12 May 2015. If you would like any additional
information on the outcomes of the April meeting
you can view the full minutes on our website.
Alternatively, if you have any questions please
remember my door is always open to staff and the
community and I will be happy to elaborate on any
decisions made by Council.
Members of the
community are also reminded that all Councillors are
happy to speak with you on any issues. Your elected
members are:





Cr Stuart Mackenzie (Mayor)
Cr Jenny Hewson (Deputy Mayor)
Cr Stewart Sargent
Cr Milan Milosevic
Cr Tony Lilburne
Regards
Dave Burges