THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 31 #11 Wednesday, August 24, 2016
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
A N T I E S TA B L I S H M E N TA R I A N I S M R U S
CAB AUDIT
Here’s a rock. This is Want live music and There’s an article about Ganggajang entertainment? a few more on page 8 – p32 Check the Gig Guide – p36
GM defends record Claims by a former Greens councillor over the governance of Byron Shire Council’s general manager Ken Gainger have been refuted. Specifically Tom Tabart took aim at staff morale, Mr Gainger’s re-appointment, the capacity of new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and the effectiveness of Council committees. Mr Tabart’s letter is on page 11. In reply Mr Gainger told The Echo, ‘This has been the most harmonious Council with which I have worked, and Council’s performance over the term in fixing Council’s finances, investing in our roads and being declared as Fit for the Future is testament to this. This council has had frequent all-day workshop sessions where staff and councillors interact in discussing significant strategic issues. The discussion and questioning is active and rigorous while being respectful. It has been these workshops more than anything else that has helped Council rationalise and deal with the many significant challenges that Council and the sector have had to deal with during this term of Council.’ ‘Council has undergone significant change in an effort to make us more cost effective and to deliver improved customer service. ‘While some affected staff may be unhappy, our regular staff surveys indicate high morale and enhanced job satisfaction.’ As for his recent re-appointment, Mr Gainger says the resolution was moved by Mayor Richardson and seconded by Cr Dey. ‘The vote was unanimous,’ he said, adding that is contained in Council minutes from June 9, 2016 which are available online. He said
Online in
netdaily
Real estate agents clamouring for Byron’s vote www.echo.net.au/real-estate-agentsclamouring-byrons-vote
Smells and sounds of BBQ & bluegrass
that Mr Tabart’s suggestion that the GM should now review the organisation overlooks the last organisation review that was conducted in 2013, which was initiated shortly after the GM started at Council – consequently Council reduced the size of its executive team by half and the number of directorates from 6 to 3 saving $750K annually. The inflated and costly 6 directorate model was a legacy of the former council of which Tom Tabart was a member.
STP operational And claims by Mr Tabart that Council’s new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are failing are also incorrect, says Mr Gainger. ‘There is no evidence to suggest that,’ he said. ‘To the contrary, they continue to perform to design expectations and meet EPA and DPI Water Directorate performance standards.’ Mr Gainger said the latest comment from DPI Water for the effluent being discharged from the wetlands at the Byron Bay STP was, ‘The low determinations returned for this sample reflect a high-quality effluent well within discharge standards for the respective analytics.’ Yet Mr Tabart maintains there are issues, claiming that advice given to Council by the Water Waste and Sewer Advisory Committee, ‘say that the quality of effluent is below standard for most reuse and the reuse guidelines have never been met.’ Mr Tabart also says, ‘There is no reuse at the moment. What about the sand filter and chlorination at WB outlet installed to get it to reuse standard? continued on page 3
looking for a truly
visit
green
Grandpa Matt Vass with his grand-daughter Hosanna at their ‘Where There’s Smoke There’s Dinner’ cook-out at Saturday’s BBQ and Bluegrass Carne-val. The event again attracted thousands of visitors to the town, with food stalls finding it hard to keep up with orders. See more on Good Life page 26. Photo Jeff Dawson
Mullumbimby Hospital land update Mandy Nolan
As new information comes to light, it’s becoming clear that the fight to keep the Mullumbimby hospital land retained for community use against the state government will be a hard-fought battle. The land, thought to be gifted to the community in perpetuity generations ago, has moved from Local Health District (LHD) control after the new Byron Central Hospital became operational. As the site was excess to their needs, it was referred to the government organisation that manages all of NSW government-owned properties and assets: Property NSW.
And while the land is owned by the NSW Health Department, the remediation and sale is being handled by NSW Properties and the Department of Public Works. This news comes after many months of behind-the-scenes work by the Mullumbimby Hospital-Site Action Group (MHAG), who have been trying to secure the land after a public meeting was held in September last year. Those at the meeting voted that the hospital land be transferred from NSW Minister for Health to the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services and Social Housing. MHAG’s vision is to see the site stay zoned ‘Special Purpose’
and be used to develop a range of aged-care facilities and services and housing options through public- and community-sector partnerships.
Cohesion is vital Byron Shire councillor and mayoral candidate Basil Cameron is involved with MHAG and he believes that community cohesion is vital if Mullumbimby has a chance of holding on to the land. ‘I would like to see us to find a way to get all the people who are talking about the hospital site come together to find common ground and unity of purpose.’ MHAG recently held a meeting continued on page 3
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