Last night’s Shoalhaven Council meeting was a “bobby dazzler”

It’s difficult to decide the highlight of last night’s Shoalhaven Council meeting. Over one hundred and fourteen items, with the meeting starting at 4pm and finishing after 10pm. But, I’d have to say my favourite comment was by Clr Ward with words to the effect – wouldn’t it be great if the Council Business Paper (what is to be discussed at the Council meetings) were on people’s coffee tables for reading material. I thought that was a “bobby dazzler“. Because, perhaps as uninviting as the Business Paper may look (coupled with the extroadinary lengthy debate on some issues) those one hundred and fourteen + items are things that certainly seriously affect us. They are things like:

• The setting of Rates for 2012/2013
• The setting of charges for 2012/13 (for things like swimming pools, etc)
• The Council budget for 2012/13 – where money is going to be spent and on what, eg, what capital expenditure is going to occur in the Shoalhaven
• Nowra CBD Working Group (to improve the look and amenity of the Nowra CBD)
• Nowra CBD Car Parking
• Third River crossing
• Moorehouse Park
• Shared Pathway around Harry Sawkins Park
• The approved Long Term Financial Plan
• Trialing a part time Graffiti Coordinator
• Ice-Skating at the Entertainment Centre
• Ulladualla Sports Park
• Nowra Waterdragons
• Various development applications
• National Broadband Network (wasn’t that a long debate that seems to keep circling)
• Water Filling Stations
• Bomaderry Sporting Complex
• Comerong Island Ferry
• Water fountain/bottle refilling stations
• National Broadband Network (again and again, such a long debate)
• Triple Bottom Line Reporting
• Coal Seam Gas (another long debate)
• Various development proposals
• Shoalhaven Bike Plan
• Committee structures
• Coal Seam Gas

and loads more……which in a moment of clear madness, I made a “wordle” – heck, it could even be laminated and used as a placemat around town in coffee shops in the lead up to meetings……..or with Council’s new great usage of social media they could for free “pin it” on Pinterest or “Digg it” on Digg – I’m all for community engagement.