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Mayoral Message
AR Bluett Award Commendation Award
Earlier today I had the great pleasure to be officially presented with
the A R Bluett Memorial Commendation Award from LGNSW. Council’s senior
management team, my fellow councillors and I were again humbled by this
state-wide recognition.
Mark Ferguson - General Manager, Cr Jacqui Townsend - Mayor with
Grahame Fleming & Allan Ezzy AR Bluett Trust Board Members
What a feeling to know that Pittwater Council's outstanding levels of
excellence, innovation, service delivery and relative progress in
addressing the needs of our community have been recognised with this
rarely awarded commendation.
On behalf of the Pittwater community I would like to thank the General
Manager and his dedicated team who continue to deliver for our
community.
Two-councils for the region
It’s now only a matter of time until we know what is next for Pittwater
Council. The State Government will shortly announce the fate of NSW
councils by year-end.
Local Government remains the closest level of government to the
community and it is important we maintain a strong level of
representation, whatever the State decides.
The need to ensure decision-making remains local as well as recognises
the uniqueness of our communities and the larger challenges that our
local community faces is pivotal to any change in structure.
We know that a single council for the region is not in the best
interests of the community. The cost savings promoted by
Warringah Council for a mega council have been exaggerated and
discredited*.
Although we would prefer the status quo, we recognise the need to
respond to the State Government's call for change. A two-council
model allows us, and our neighbours, to continue a strong focus on
protecting the natural and built environment.
A two-council model provides all the positive benefits, without
negatives of a mega-council. It would deliver two equally
balanced and specialised councils that focus on the provision of local
infrastructure and services to communities of approximately the same
population size, while maintaining a local identity and services
including:
- Stronger surf life saving
- Common parking system
- Allow for a specialist approach to growth and
development.
- A two-council model would align catchment and
economic boundaries for stronger environmental management of our
treasured natural assets including our national parks and Narrabeen
Lagoon. It would also allow for the preservation of our precious
Pittwater—the largest harbour in Sydney outside of Sydney Harbour.
A two-council model builds on the strengths of all the great things
Pittwater Council and Warringah Council have delivered for the northern
end of the region. Under this model the two councils would join forces
on all fronts to manage the issues that our communities
face—sustainability, local economies, employment and transport, to name
a few.
Last but not least, a two-council model would enable strong councils
capable of partnering with State Government to achieve vital outcomes
for our growing community.
Potential boundary adjustment
A two-council model would involve a boundary adjustment for Pittwater
that would include Terrey Hills, Narrabeen, Collaroy, Collaroy Plateau,
Cromer, Oxford Falls, Frenchs Forest, Duffys Forrest, Belrose and
Davidson.
Together the communities of a Pittwater and North Warringah Council
would include shared community of interest in lower density, healthcare
and environmental assets.
Pittwater Council is planning for transition to a two-council model,
should the government favor this preference.
We will be ready for the villages of Pittwater and North Warringah to
become one inclusive larger community.
What’s next?
The State Government is due to make an announcement before the end of
the year and we will continue to communicate with you throughout this
process.
To stay up to date on reform news, visit
www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/reform our Facebook pages @Pittwater
Council and @I love Pittwater or Twitter @aboutPittwater.
Yours,
Cr Jacqueline Townsend
Mayor
Church Point works
take flight
Council has approved
the commencement of the next stage of the Church Point Plan of
Management including, the realignment of McCarrs Creek Road, a new
seawall, boardwalk and a 120 space car park.
Pittwater Mayor Jacqueline Townsend said that she was pleased that
Council was ready to go to tender on the design and construction of
this major project after working closely with the Church Point and
offshore communities regarding a suitable design.
“These works will help to alleviate parking issues in the area as well
as improve connections to the commuter wharf and foreshore access via a
new boardwalk. It is a decision that has divided the community, but we
are working towards achieving a good balance for all involved in the
outcome of this project.
Construction companies are invited to put forward a tender for the
design and construction of the approved works.
The project will be funded through loan funding, income generated from
user pays car parking, a low interest loan from the state government
via the Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme (LIRS) and reserves from
the Special Rate Variation.
Mayor Townsend said the project will address a range of issues
identified in the Plan of Management including safety concerns raised
by residents on McCarrs Creek Road and the shortage of parking in the
area.
“Council has worked hard and will continue to meet the interests of
both the on-shore and off-shore communities with this proposal.
“We are committed to creating intergenerational infrastructure that can
address the future demands of this important local and regional
transport hub and tourist destination.
“Last night’s decision does not end the measures that are needed to
meet the demands for this hub; but these works will see Council start
to achieve them,” she added.
Tender documents will be available from 15 December 2015.
New Years
Eve Fireworks for 2015!
Two sessions 9.00pm
and 12.00pm at Rowland Reserve Bayview 31st Dec 2015: 11:59pm - 12:10am
Celebrate New Years Eve with family, friends and picnics at this year's
Fireworks Spectacular at Rowland Reserve, Bayview.
There are two times scheduled for the fireworks, which include a family
friendly session at 9.00pm, followed by the 12.00pm session to bring in
2016.
Pittwater Council requests that members of the public comply with the
Fireworks Exclusion Zone at Rowland Reserve.
Rowland Reserve has been declared by Pittwater Council as an Alcohol Prohibited Zone on New Year’s Eve,
which will come into effect from 6.00am 31 December 2014 until 6.00am 1
January 2015.
Island Possums under Threat
Dear Islanders
On Monday morning 7 December I found a dead ring-tail possum on the
beach in front of our house on the south side of the island just east
of Bells Wharf. In speaking with a neighbour, this is the third dead
possum, that we are aware of, to be found along the beachfront in this
area in the last couple of weeks.
During the previous night, around 2am, we heard a lot of disturbance in
the bush and our dog, who is locked in at night, was very agitated by
the outside activities we could all hear in the vegetation.
I can't say what killed this possum and he showed no distinct signs of
being mauled, although previously one of the victims was found without
it's head. However, I believe the occurrence of three dead possums in a
couple of weeks is not a just natural mortality, particularly when
found in the intertidal zone.
As a measure of prevention, if you are the owner of a dog(s) or cat(s),
PLEASE ensure they are locked up at night to ensure they can't get out
and hunt and/or stress out the few natives we have the pleasure of
sharing the island with.
Thank you
Christine Soul
Richard Rd.
Carols @ Tennis
Sunday 20 December from 5.00 pm
This
year the Kindy will also be involved and are trying to raise some funds
by selling soft drinks and donations for wine.
Santa is due to arrive at 5.45pm
carols start at 6.30pm
Details are 5pm on Sunday 20 Dec at Catherine Park.
Pink Water Taxi
 Water
Taxis - Christmas Hours
The Water Taxis will operate for the following hours on Christmas Day:
New Years Eve will run as follows:
- With
the Newport Arms closed until April 2016 and Rowland Reserve and other
fireworks venues being Alcohol Free, NYE is a shadow of its former self.
- Play that one pear-shaped!
Water Taxis - Communications
The
water taxis formally ceased 24-hour operations in September 2009.
This was an easy decision as the Global Financial Crisis had been
squeezing everybody for a year, the after-midnight work was no longer
there and Maritime OH&S had become prescriptive. A
midnight finish every night was still too many hours for Maritime and a
10pm finish on Sunday and Monday nights has been the norm for nearly
two years. Unfortunately, changes to the relevant Awards earlier
this year meant it all had to be looked at and justified again.
The advice from our dodgy accountants and solicitors was simple and
unanimous; don’t have set finishing times. Be there when the
work’s there and go home when it’s not. An hour saved on one day
can be used on another. Generally, our customers need the
midnight finish on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The other
nights, not so much.
So how do you have a flexible closing time? Since mid-winter,
we’ve been asking our customers who need us later in the evening to
ring the night driver after 3pm and discuss what they need. On
balance, this has worked very well indeed.
Our regular late-night customers have been invited to Follow our
Twitter account, @PinkWaterTaxis. Armed with our list of who’s
coming back and roughly when each night, we push out daily tweets on
intended finish times. This has the excellent knock-on effect of
prompting people who will need us and haven’t called us, to do so.
Still not the perfect system as Australians are not big users of
Twitter. Yes, we’ve tried normal SMS and iMessage but trying to
maintain curated lists of who’s got an iPhone vs an Android vs a
Windows Phone is virtually impossible.
So we put our Research Hat on and went looking for a better instant
messaging system. We’ve looked at Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp,
Viber, WeChat, Skype, LINE, Kik, BBM, Tango, Hike, MessageMe, SnapChat,
Wickr, Threema and a few obscure ones.
We quickly settled on and have trialled Telegram
Messenger.
It’s a very small app, it’s free and there’s a version for every phone,
tablet and desktop (cross-platform). It’s heavily encrypted, has
serious broadcast capabilities (which we love) and has no affiliation
with any data-miners.
So, do please Follow us on Twitter (@PinkWaterTaxis)
if that suits you or better still, give Telegram a try. The Silly
Season is upon us and good comms means no one gets stranded.
Yours aye - Rod, Alex and Mickey
Woody Point Prints for Sale
Pittwater we all
know as a canvas for all life’s colours, with an eternal appeal to the
artistic whether that be of talent or temperament.
Katie Clemson was an outstandingly talented artist, renowned not only
here in her native Australia but internationally too.
‘Pittwater for me is heaven, my haven and inspiration’ wrote Katie in a
prelude to an exhibition of her linocuts of Pittwater at Tarranagaua in
2004. Katie‘s work really does reach into the canvas of Pittwater and
captures the energy, the light and indeed the raw beauty of her, and
our, haven.
We have a number of Katie’s superb print of Woody Point for sale with
proceeds to our local Fire Brigade. The price is $250 and a perfect
gift for Christmas or treat yourself to this image of our beloved Woody
Point.
Please email info@walkabouttours.com.au or
text Suzanne Akerman on 0419 240 426 for details.”
For Sale
Boat: 4.5m
Brooker:
- Central console
- Bimini T-top
- power steering
- outboard: Yamaha
4-stroke 40hp 2014 (bought brand-new, installed
and serviced at Pittwater Marine, just done 1-year
service, still 3 years
of manufacturer warranty left) electric tilt 84 hours on
the clock
- bilge pump
- navigating lights
- anchors etc
Price $8,500
SUV car: Volvo
XC60 2012
- extended
manufacturer warranty until March 2017
- mileage 66,000km
- recently done 60k
service
- rego until March 2016
Price $34,000
Call Den on
0450287427
Free
Free Beds & cupboard
Two beds in good condition (no mattresses)
Folding legs on second bed allow trundle storage.
Please contact John or Jane on 9997 5993
A complete set of past electronic newsletters since May 2000 can be
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by visiting the Mona Vale Library.
The Island website is at www.scotlandisland.org.au
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