Mayor Beresford’s December 2024 Council Meeting Wrap-up

Published on 16 December 2024

The December Council meeting was held on Thursday 12th December. The following are a few of the items addressed at the meeting.

Cunnamulla Hot Springs

Council met with Charles and Kai Davidson from Cunnamulla Hot Springs to discuss their request to close the facility until the end of February 2025 due to the low number of people utilising it since the commencement of summer. It was resolved that approval be granted for the Hot Springs to be closed from 22nd December 2024 until the beginning of March 2025. The approval was granted subject to conditions in relation to maintenance and cleaning.

Funding Approvals

The following funding applications have been approved and Council will now enter into funding agreements with the relevant government departments. Scheduling and work on projects can commence once the contracts have been signed and Council receives approval to proceed.

• Play our Way – Federal government funding to upgrade the lighting at John Kerr Park
• Queensland Destination Events Program – State government funding towards marketing of the Outback River Lights Festival
• LGIS Behaviour Change Intervention – State government funding for an illegal dumping/litter education program
• LGGSP – State government funding to review and update the John Kerr Park Master Plan.

Works in Progress

• Replacement of the water main reticulation pipes in Cunnamulla will continue after Christmas
• Local contractors will continue flood damage repairs to roads under the Repairs to Public Assets funding. Work has been completed for the January 2022 event and the September 2022 event work is due for completion by June 2025. The collection of data for the January 2024 event has been completed and submitted to QRA. To date approval has been granted for three of the five submissions and the completion date for this work will be June 2026.

RADF Approvals

Council approved the recommendation of the Paroo Regional Arts Development Committee to fund the following submissions which will expend the RADF budget of $57,500 for the 2024-2025 year:-

• Julie Stone for professional development $3,025
• Wyandra Progress Association for Mihardwork Glass Art Workshop $10,175
• Kirsten Cash for the ORLF Lantern Workshop $8,598.

Community Grants

• Yowah Opal Festival 2025 – grant of $5,000 and waiver of fees for cold room, generator, 4 portaloos and 8 blue bins
• Charlotte Plains Ballads & Bush Yarns 2025 - waiver of fees for mobile stage, generator, cold room and 2 portaloos
• Charlotte Plains Country Music Festival 2025 – waiver of fees for mobile stage, generator and 2 portaloos.

EOIs for VAST TV

The majority of replies received to date for the supply and installation of VAST TV transmission free of charge to households in the towns of Eulo, Yowah and Wyandra have been positive. All owners of premises in these towns are encouraged to return the EOI circular before Council again considers this project early in the new year.

Staffing

Council recently welcomed two new staff members filling the positions of Treatment Plant & Wastewater Operator and Human Resources Manager. There are still some positions vacant across the organization and full details can be found on the Council’s website.

To obtain more information, please refer to the Paroo Shire Council’s website www.paroo.qld.gov.au where the agenda and minutes of all Council meetings are posted. To subscribe to the eNewsletter group click on News & Events then click on Newsletters and sign up.

Contacting Council – should residents wish to contact Council regarding any matter, whether it’s an enquiry, reporting an issue, making a suggestion or lodging a complaint, please use the email council@paroo.qld.gov.au