The Bugle 24 September 2016
A fortnightly celebration of people and places on the Upper South Coast of NSW
Serving the communities of Kiama, Gerringong, Jamberoo, Kiama Downs, Minnamurra and Gerroa and now at www.thebugleonline.com
Meet our new Mayor An Extraordinary Meeting of Kiama’s new Council has elected Councillor Mark Honey as Mayor and Kathy Rice as the Deputy Mayor. He is not the first Mayor Honey Kiama has seen, as one of his forebears held the position over 100 years ago. The Jamberoo Valley dairy farmer’s team polled strongly in the recent election, capturing 25.7 per cent of the group vote and 676 votes for him below the line as an individual.
Our new Council Mark Honey, Mayor Kathy Rice, Deputy Mayor Andrew Sloan Matt Brown Mark Westhoff Mark Way Warren Steel Neil Reilly Don Watson
This resulted in Honey and his running mate Mark Westhoff from Gerringong being elected as councillors. Despite prior indications Kathy Rice and Mark Way would stand for mayor, only Neil Reilly and Matt Brown nominated for the position. “I decided beforehand that if Mark Honey got more votes than me then I wouldn’t stand,” says Mark Way. The mayoral election was decided on first preferences, with Councillor Honey receiving five votes and the other two candidates two votes each. Speaking after the vote, Councillor Andrew Sloan said that while the Greens team had exchanged preferences with Neil Reilly’s Community Voices team in the election, there was never any agreement to support his
Watson his own man p3
Gerringong Museum turns 25 p4
bid for mayor. “It would be difficult to justify giving the influential mayoral position to someone who only attracted a small vote from the community over a person who has the support of 25 per cent of the voters,” he says. Despite high hopes, Coun-
cillor Reilly was one of the last two elected to the Council, along with Community & Labor’s Don Watson (see p 3), after 30 counts of preferences. Gavin McClure, who stood on Warren Steel’s Experience Counts team, was not re-elected. Kathy Rice, again the only
New surf safety initiatives for summer Council is installing interactive beach access signs at Surf Beach, Bombo Beach and parts of Werri Beach in preparation for the 2016/17 swimming season. “The signs include QR codes which enable people to use their smartphones to access information such as beach safety advice, hazards and whether the beach is patrolled that day,” says Supervising Lifeguard Andy Mole. “They also have an emergency beach access number and cross street reference that can be used as a location point if emergency services are required.”
Inside this issue
Council has also stepped up its lifeguard patrols, including lifeguards on patrol at Werri Beach during the September and April school holidays for the first time. It is already shaping up as a busy summer for Council lifeguards, who are preparing to provide water safety
at the World Pro Junior surfing contest in January. As reported earlier, Kiama is also to have one of five VR4G listening stations installed on the South Coast, as part of the NSW Government’s $16 million Shark Management Strategy to better detect and deter sharks. The purpose-built listening stations, work by raising alerts when a tagged shark which swims within approximately 500 metres of the station. Details: Daily surf reports will be posted to Council’s website and social media from 26 September from 9.45am weekdays (seven days during the Christmas school holidays).
female councillor, is proud to have been voted in as Deputy Mayor. She ran against Warren Steel and Mark Way, winning on a second preference. Mayor Honey and his deputy will hold their positions for two years, following the State Government increasing the length of the term. Another local government reform saw the new councillors have to swear an oath or make an affirmation of office to ‘undertake the duties of the office of councillor in the best interests of Kiama LGA and Kiama Council and …. faithfully and impartially carry out the functions, powers, authorities and discretions vested in me…’ The first general meeting of the new Council will be held on Tuesday 27 September, from 5pm. Amongst other things it will be decided then which councillors will sit on the various committees and boards.
Public School Parent of the Year p5
Farmers’ Market initiatives p9
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