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Councilconnection
AUGUST 2012 - ISSUE 47
GLADSTONE REGIONAL COUNCIL COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Gladstone Regional Council Phone 497 0 0700 Fax 4975 8500 Email info@gladstonerc.qld.gov.au
Seniors to get energised Seniors Week will be celebrated in August 2012 in the form of a Seniors Festival, titled "Get Educated, Energised, Entertained & Engaged". The week's activities, from August 15 to 26, are aimed at encouraging everyone aged 55+ to get active, have fun, engaged in the community and learning. Event organiser Andrea Hughes said Gladstone Regional Council was coordinating the event with the support from a range of funding sources. “This includes a grant received from the Queensland Government's Department of Communities for some parts of the 'Get Educated' component of the festival program,” Andrea said. Among the activities planned are a range of workshops including autobiography writing, arts and crafts, cooking, cycling, dancing, gardening, golf, internet, photography, self defence, tai chi and yoga workshops.
See calendar page 8
Cr Rick Hansen with St Vincent De Paul Store Supervisor Robyn Fraser with donations for their charity bin.
Council urges residents to donate, not dump goods Gladstone Regional Council is calling on the community to do the right thing and help local charity groups, not burden them with the dumping of useless items and rubbish. Growing concern surrounds the increasing amount of unwanted goods deemed useless and general rubbish which is being dropped off at charity bins across Gladstone region. Analogue televisions, old mattresses, furniture, carpet and appliances and soiled clothing are being dumped at charity bins which, on most occasions, are worthless. Donated items of value suitable to be sold at opportunity shops are also being spoiled and contaminated through the illegal dumping of rubbish. At a recent Council meeting, Councillors discussed ways to assist charity groups in an attempt to put a stop to the problem. It was decided Council will work with charity groups to organise the immediate relocation of a number of charity bins to higher visibility sites. In the meantime, Council is appealing for the community to do the right thing and drop off their rubbish legally at its waste management facilities rather than using charity bins as dumping grounds. Council Engineering Services Portfolio
spokesperson Councillor Rick Hansen said people should be doing the right thing by charity groups. Cr Hansen said it was unfair to burden these groups with the cost of having to dispose the excessive amount of unwanted goods. “They have to pick up, handle, reprocess and transport these items to waste facilities. It costs to do this and the community should be helping charity groups to help the needy," Cr Hansen said. While Council provides financial support to charity groups to dispose of unwanted goods, Cr Hansen is calling on the public to dispose of their unwanted items and rubbish correctly and not abuse the purpose of charity bins. A $14 disposal fee applies for a trailer load of unwanted goods to be disposed of at Council’s waste management facilities. Charges do not apply to the disposal of acceptable sorted domestic waste at all of Gladstone Regional Council’s waste management facilities. A full list of items and further information can be obtained from the ‘Sort ‘n’ Save’ brochure which can be downloaded from Council’s website under the ‘Environment & Waste’ drop down menu.
AUGUST2012 IN THIS ISSUE
3
Councillor Connect Visits
5
Australia Day Grants
6
WIN an iPAD
Visit Council’s Website - www.gladstone.qld.gov.au
9
Nominate your local hero
10
Tenant Advice