Having trouble reading this newsletter? Visit https://ymlp.com/archive_gesgjgm.php |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
| December 8, 2013 | |||||||||
|
Newsletter
for
Offshore Residents
of Pittwater, Australia
|
|||||||||
Pittwater Council Temporary Stalemate Last Monday night, December 2, Pittwater Council failed to reach a decision on the options for additional parking at Church Point. The major focus of the meeting was whether Councillors would or would not support the Council staff recommendation for Option 2 - the Deck Option. Option 1 is the Ground Level in the original CPPOM with 60 spaces and Option 3 is the Church Point Friends design with 39 spaces as assessed by the Hyder Report. A crowd of about 150 were in attendance for the two and a half hour session with the majority being Offshore community members. There were banners, cheers and generally good behaviour. Unfortunately, the result of all that effort turned the energy into disappointment and bewilderment with most Offshore community members leaving in despair, confusion and, in some cases, anger. What Happened? Before the main debate, the Mayor permitted three additional speakers from both sides in addition to the three scheduled speakers For and Against. Three Offshore residents volunteered and spoke brilliantly at short notice. After half an hour of public speaking, Council staff were questioned by Councillors for a further half an hour, followed by close to one and a half hours of debate between Councillors and then, finally, a series of votes. Note:
It was not possible for Councillor Ian White to participate in this
process. As he owns a property on Scotland Island, he has a conflict of
interest precluding him from discussion and voting. This is very
frustrating for Ian as he would love to be able to contribute to the
debate.
So in this chess-like game the moves were:
There are some Councillors who clearly understand the dilemma and have our appreciation. For those supporting Option 1, whilst we acknowledge their point of view, SIRA opposes this position. Those that supported neither Option do not seem to understand the real needs expressed by the significant body of Offshore Pittwater residents or, at best, their priorities seem idealistic and out of touch. This issue has been going on for so long that some of the history has been lost. During the debate remarks were made about further investigating dispersal options as an alternative to additional parking infrastructure. In fact, from 1994 - 1998, when we were fighting to prevent half the main carpark being removed, investigating dispersal options was Council's major focus. Specific locations were identified and nearby residents consulted, distances calculated and a list of necessary infrastructure prepared. There are literally hundreds of pages of Council’s “Church Point Management Plans” on this issue from that period. It was broadly concluded that dispersal would not work, except as a marginal complimentary strategy. In particular local residents at some dispersal points e.g. Bayview Baths formed their own pressure group to object to Council exporting “the Church Point problem”. Safety considerations for commuters was also a major concern for the increase in travel distance. Most important, once again we need the community to hang in there. Although many are “over it”, we need resilience and persistence, as this prolonged saga draws to an end. Why is there such pressure to get this through now? The reason is that the opportunity for a very low interest rate loan from the State Government to fund the project will close December 31. It would be a real tragedy if an application for funding is unable to be submitted as the whole project will become a more expensive exercise i.e. fees could increase!! We urge all residents to participate and support Offshore representatives at the next Council meeting so a resolution can be finally be achieved.
The Council will reconsider options for the Church Point car park at its final meeting in 2013. Councillors debated three possible designs for the car park at its meeting this week, but were unable to agree on a preferred option. Three Councillors have signed a notice of motion asking that the proposed option for a decked car park be reconsidered at the meeting on 16 December. The three options for the car park were presented in a detailed report at this week’s meeting, following several months of consultation with affected residents and a 12 month process developing design options through a working group composed of residents associations, Councillors and Council staff. The three options presented at Monday night’s meeting were:
Around 120 offshore and onshore residents attended the meeting on Monday night at Mona Vale Memorial Hall. Eleven spoke either for or against the report’s recommendation that the Council choose Option 2 (the decked car park) as the preferred design and seek state government funding under the LERS grant program. General Manager Mark Ferguson said the Council had voted on Option 1 and Option 2. “Both options failed to pass through the lack of a majority of the Councillors in support. However Councillors Hegarty, Grace and Griffith have lodged a notice of motion asking their colleagues to reconsider the report recommendations at the last meeting of this year.” To view the report for this week’s meeting visit www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au and click on the link to agendas and meetings. The meeting agenda for 16 December will be publicly available by Wednesday 11 December. Media contact: Mark Ferguson Pittwater Council Ph: 9970 1105 3 December 2013 Ausgrid A Quick and Effective Response Following our recent power outage I was pleased with how Ausgrid reacted and, despite the challenges, had electricity restored as quickly as they did; including knocking on my door to check that water was again being heated. Regards Simon Lambe Concur fully ! (Ed) Sly Dogs - Dinner with the Dogs
Last Gig for the Year  Scotland Island School Ferry Walk. If you are new to the island and have a child starting at Newport Public School in 2014 OR if you have a Kindie starting school at Newport in 2014 and will be taking the school Ferry please could you let us know if you would like your children to join the supervised walks to school and from school. Contact Jenni on: jena50@hotmail.com The walk between the Newport Wharf and the school can be busy with potentially dangerous driveways, unsupervised crossing (no traffic lights), crossing two entrances at Newport Arms Hotel and the end of the road toward the Newport Wharf can be busy too. Hence 2 Adult walkers are rostered to supervise each walk, to school and from school one leading the walk and one at the back. The ‘Ferry Walkers’ Service is currently run as both a ‘part paid’’ AND a ‘volunteer rostered weekly walk’ by parents of all children who require supervised walks from Newport Ferry Wharf to Newport Public School and back again. This is a community initiative co-ordinated by the offshore community utilising this service. The term fee does fluctuate and the cost is determined by the number of children participating in the supervised walk service. The more kids walking, the cheaper the term fees will be and ultimately less rostered walks per family. Thank you. Jenni Christmas Day 12-2pm
Booking is essential
TICKS We know that ticks inhabit the Pittwater area and that they can cause problems for humans and animals. There is now another way for you to find out more about managing the risk, avoiding problems and dealing with those that arise, especially as they affect humans. We can start with the Fact Sheet that appears below. It has been prepared by doctors, entomologists and a veterinary surgeon. It is a brief, accurate and reliable introduction. As you read the Fact Sheet, remember the following further facts:
These problems are not confined to Pittwater – this is an issue along the entire east coast of Australia and has been identified in Europe and the USA. (And no, this has nothing to do with Lyme disease.) For us in the Sydney area, bandicoots are the main carriers of ticks. About two new people with tick-induced red/mammalian meat allergy present at Royal North Shore Hospital every week and there are over 450 sufferers already known to RNSH – and over 300 more elsewhere in northern Sydney. Many more people suffer tick anaphylaxis (severe reaction to the bite) without the meat allergy, especially in the tick season from August to March. To address these matters a committee has been formed at Royal North Shore Hospital, convened by A/Prof Sheryl van Nunen, Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. It is called the Tick-induced Allergies Research and Awareness Committee (TiARA). Its website contains much useful information, including a two-part PowerPoint presentation that fully explains the situation for anyone interested: www.tiara.org.au Nicholas Cowdery Co-Chair, TiARA Committee Fact Sheet: Tick Avoidance & Management Ticks May Make You Sick! Most tick bites are harmless, however Ixodes holocyclus (commonly known as the “Paralysis tick”) may make you sick in several ways:
www.tiara.org.au (Tick induced mammalian meat allergy & tick allergy) www.medent.usyd.edu.au (Tick fact sheets) www.allergy.org.au www.allergyfacts.org.au Download Tick Fact Sheet HERE  Bel’s Scotland Island
Fashion House
Saturday 14th December, 10am to 4pm: 96 Richard Road  Click to load PDF Flyer For Sale  5m Half Cabin Cruise Craft, 5m half cabin, hydraulic steering, new transom 2010. 2008 Mercury 60HP 4-stroke with new power head, recent 100hr service. No trailer. $5500 neg John Morgan 0416 733 147
Archived Newsletters A complete set of past electronic newsletters since May 2000 can be found and read at https://ymlp.com/archive_gesgjgm.php or by clicking here or by visiting the Mona Vale Library. The Island website is at www.scotlandisland.org.au To Contribute If you would like to contribute to this newsletter it's easy!. Send an e-mail to the editor (editor@scotlandisland.org.au) or by clicking here. Type your contribution (100 words or so would be fine) and assuming it is of general interest to the community, does not include matter of a political nature and is not offensive, it will appear next month. Subscription Information To get on and off this newsletter, click here or got to: http://www.scotlandisland.org.au/signup . To change your address, click the 'modify' link at the bottom of this newsletter or send an email to the editor@scotlandisland.org.au Follow the PON
The Online Local Contacts Guide Click HERE to load The
views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the
Scotland Island Residents Association (SIRA), or
the Western
Pittwater Community Association (WPCA)
|
|||||||||
| |
