1.
MINUTES OF MEETING OF MANNERING PARK PRECINCT COMMITTEE ON 18th JULY, 2011
AT MANNERING PARK COMMUNITY HALL
Opened 7.05pm
Attendance: Andrew & Judy Whitbourne, Rob Regnis, Neil Wynn, Stan Jaques, George Murray, Bob Mackay, Bruce Wall, Caroll Smith, Trevor Wrightson, Jan Regnis, Bruce Edgell, Lou Gambrill Bart Vanderzee, Kevin Mackenzie, Coral Burnham, Cr. Doug Vincent(17)
Apologies: Jennifer Petersen, Bill Symington, Narelle Lee, Sally Smith, Cherie Vance, Tracey Maguire, Bruce Allan
Minutes of the Previous Meeting 20th June 2011
Moved for acceptance: Bart Vanderzee Seconded by: Bob Mackay
GUEST SPEAKER
The Chairman welcomed Andrew Davies, an Environmental Officer for Delta Electricity covering both its Central Coast and Western operations. Also present was Shannon Bruce who has recently joined Delta’s Vales Point environmental team and can be contacted at any time. Andrew’s talk was accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation on the screen.
Among the important points made by Andrew are:
· Delta must conform to a wide range of environmental laws in its operation of Vales Point PS and its other PSs.
· Its Environmental Protection Licence No. 761 is the key document for Delta to observe
· A whole lot of other Acts and Regulations under this Licence also impact on them
· There are also Guidelines, Documents and requirements of WSC
· It is the Department of Environment and Heritage which administers Licence 761
· Delta can be, and has been, fined when it does not comply with its Licence
THE Licence comprises 8 sets of CONDITIONS
1) Administrative Conditions
2) Discharges to Air and Water, and Applications to Land Conditions (e.g. the Weather Monitoring Station at Wyee also monitors discharges into the air)
3) Limit Conditions (changes will come into effect 1/1/2012) e.g. temperature of water in Outfall Canal [6,500,000 litres per day]; management of the ash dam and plantings of grasses and small trees in the ash
4) Operating Conditions – activities must be carried out in a competent manner [e.g. monitoring sulphur content in coal; anti foam agents in outfall water]
5) Monitoring and Recording Conditions [e.g. sampling methods; recording of complaints from the public] CO2 is not currently measured, but will be!!!!!
6) General Conditions
7) Pollution Studies and Reduction Programmes [e.g. ash dam has an overflow into Wyee Creek and the spillway is managed, but more understanding is needed
8) Special Conditions [ e.g. use of fuels, fuel oil, biomass (old timber in furnaces), discharge of waters into Wyee Bay] Delta has a desalination plant for the osmosis plant in the Power Station
· 2
· In answer to questions from the floor, Andrew also made these points:
· The recent foam on Wyee Bay was due to a problem with their foam dispersal procedures
· DELTA ENGAGES A CONTRACTOR TO DEAL WITH NOXIOUS WEEDS IN THE POWER STATION’S BUFFER ZONE. He did not have with him the name of the Contractor or the actual contract for his work, but promised to forward it so that the Precinct and LC&TT could follow up with the matter
· The original A Station will soon be demolished over a 15 month period, but its 2 chimney stacks will remain. The demolition process is clearly outlined, and a photographic record will be made
Safety is paramount in the operation, and WorkCover will be heavily involved
There will be 7 trucks a day carting the debris away, all of them using the “back road”.
There will be dust and runoff control, the demolition contractors must recycle as much as
possible, and all work will take place during normal working hours.
The Chairman thanked Andrew and Shannon for their informative talk as the operation of Vales Point affects all M Pk residents
*****************************
Matters Arising from the Minutes: (N.B. following a request from one of the Precinct members, a list of when each Item first appeared in the Minutes will be attached to the Agenda for the August meeting)
Item 2: Chain Valley Bay Colliery. The EA came out last week and is open for comment for 1 month until 19th August. Andrew W urged people to put in a submission, asking for a $1 per tonne levy to be used for the extension of the Shared Pathway to Chain Valley Bay. Also, to complain about the increased number of coal trucks which will most likely be using Rutleys Road, and therefore to demand recompense for repair of the damage caused to this road.
The opinion of the new State Govt. on the matter is not yet known Item ongoing
Item 3. Wet Basin in Catherine Street. WSC waiting to commence transformation of wet basin to a dry basin – money and design has been approved. Hopefully start will be made soon. Latest information is that, Council advised due to internal work commitments it has been delayed, but will commence in August, AW follow up this matter August
Item 6. Amenities Block and Vales Point Reserve [ unanimous motion at March Mtng :That a meeting be called between a delegation comprising three precinct members (Andrew Whitbourne, Rob Regnis & Jennifer Petersen) to meet on 18.4.11 at 2.00pm in Council Chambers with the General Manager and council staff directly associated with Vales Point Reserve master plan works and also the proposed amenities block to be constructed on the oval.]
Meeting held between Precinct Exec & WSC Staff Wednesday 22nd June at the oval, RE: Amenities Building: The final plans for the Amenities Building have now been approved and tenders are about to be called.
RE: Vales Point Reserve: Council will now fund the replacement of the pool net. The relocation of the large sandstone blocks will occur soon. Council officers have still not given a clear answer as to what projects the $60,000 grant to M Pk from the State Government and Council will be used for. Item Ongoing
3.
Item 7. Fire Station. Bruce Allan is now attending Consultative Meetings as Precinct Rep- . This Item is now closed and Bruce’s Reports will in future be incorporated in ‘Reports’.
Item 8. Shared Pathway. Draft map prepared and submitted to Precincts involved.
A small group of Precinct members has walked from the Power Station to Chain Valley Bay, and from Morisset Hospital to Mannering Park via Wyee Point. From their observations of the landscape etc. they have prepared draft maps of the possible routes of the Shared Pathway(s). AW undertook to send out these draft maps to all on the Precinct email list Item Ongoing
.Item 11. Welcome Sign at entrance to town. [ March mtng Bruce Wall feels that Tidy Towns & Landcare Group shouldn’t be given the job. It was suggested that a member of each of the community groups be invited to join a committee to create and choose designs and Tidy Towns and Landcare to make the final decision.
The meeting was advised that sufficient members of LC&TT’s were at the Precinct meeting and would address the communities’ concerns at their next LC&TT’s meeting. April mtng It was reported that since the March meeting, a lot of communication has happened with members of the community e.g. on Election Day, and numerous designs are now being presented to various community groups by Jennifer Petersen, and people are being asked to name their favourite design]. This process is ongoing, Jennifer Peterson has consulted with community groups, & Land Care and Tidy Towns dealing with it. Final survey of communities preferred option is now finished. Item closed
Item 12. Pioneer Dairy Steam Railway Site. [ April mtng. Land next to the Aero Club off Ruttleys Road was found to be unsuitable due to endangered species on the site. The Precinct has agreed to make representations to Delta and council with the view of getting Delta to release some land near the NW corner of Pacific Hwy /Ruttleys Rd. for use by the model railway.]
Delta had claimed in the media that the land is not Delta’s but State Government Land. Gary Edwards local member raised issue with WSC General Manager and will write letter to Chris Hartcher to try to get Delta Land set aside for model railway. The big issue is “who owns the land?” Item ongoing
Item 13. Vacant Shops. Concern was expressed about the poor image given by the vacant shops in Vales Road.
Tracey to Ring Zappavigna RE: shop usage, clean shops and re-negotiate rent to attract tenant.
Social enterprise group - Strategies to be investigated. Item ongoing
Item 14. Footpath Cleaning. Concern was also expressed about the “greasy” state of the footpath in front of the takeaway shop to the Cheryl St. corner. Bill Symington said that he thinks cleaning should be carried out by WSC staff using specialized equipment, and he will investigate the matter.
Council do not perform this work. Suggested to ask all shop owners to put in for guerney and to clean the path. No further action – Item closed
Item 15. Swimming Pool Net. See Item 6 for outcome
Item 16. Drink Bubbler. That a letter be sent to Wyong Shire Council requesting that a bubbler be installed in the vicinity of the Oval at Mannering Park.
Council has responded that, due to reasons of health & hygiene, bubblers can no longer be installed in public places. However, a spring loaded tap will be installed on the wall of the new Amenities Block. Item closed
Item 17. Mens Shed., Report from Bruce Wall. Mens Shed Meetings will be held 9am on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Uniting Church Hall in Vales Road. Donations for a permanent Mens Shed (where various activities can be undertaken by the men) are being sought. Not
4.
much hope of financial help from WSC. This Item is now closed and Bruce’s reports will in future be incorporated in ‘Reports’
Item 18. Clean Up of intersection of Rutleys Road and Pacific Hwy
Andrew Pearce has to confirm with his legal people; to start before the end of the year. See Item 12 for problem of “who owns the land ?” Ongoing Item
Item 19. Boat Ramp Repairs. Last year’s audit on Boat Ramps showed ours was one of the worst in the Shire. Chase up Council to apply for grants, and also ask if Gary Edwards MP if he can help. It was reported that WSC and the State Government are each responsible for ½ the cost. WSC now says that it will grant the money, and that we will know by Xmas when it will be forthcoming. Gary Edwards MLA is on side with the project. Ongoing Item
Item 20. Rutleys Road /Wyee Road Intersection Upgrade - Lake Macquarie City Council applied for black spot funding and should know in August if they have been successful. Contact LMCC in August.
************************
REPORTS
Councillor’s Report – Cr. Doug Vincent addressed the meeting on a number of issues:
(a) Funding for Mens Sheds is a State Govt. responsibility, not a local Govt. one
(b) He is very happy to support the application for a $165 CCIG GRANT for the Fishing Day
(c) Several matters of interest from Council were outlined in his printed “Councilor Update July 2011” which was distributed to all present
(d) The issue of the possible amalgamation of Wyong & Gosford Councils is dominating his life at the moment. Last Wednesday 13/7 during the first WSC meeting since the CCROC meeting 30/6, the Mayor called a confidential/closed meeting to discuss and vote on certain matters, one being his mayoral minute to:
“advise the Minister for Local Government, Don Page, that WSC proposes an amalgamation with Gosford City Council and this advice is given pursuant to S.218E of the Local Government Act.”
Also “That, given the significance of this decision, it be implemented immediately
by the Mayor advising the Minister with all such supporting documentation
as the Mayor believes appropriate but including all relevant Council resolutions.”
Several Councillors were absent, and the motion was carried by a narrow majority. Councillor Vincent voted against the motion, and is working with the other councilors who voted against the motion to consider their legal options to have the motion rescinded.
Moved AW, seconded Bruce Edgell, that the Precinct C’tee write to Garry Edwards MP, and the WSC General Manager to complain about the way the Mayor Doug Eaton is going ahead with his motion of 13/7 without widely consulting ratepayers as he had promised he would do when addressing our May meeting
Treasurer’s Report - 2 invoices for Precinct’s website paid – Balance of $119.79
Mens Shed Report – see Item 17
New Fire Station Report – no report
5.
Progress Assn. Report – Coral Burnham reported, that since appearing in the media, she had received a lot of interest, expressed both by phone and in person, in the possible amalgamation of the north of WSC with Lake Macquarie CC. A meeting is being arranged where reps from both WSC & LMCC can present the pros and cons. Prog. Assn. has requested WSC to remove the unsightly dead bushes along the western side of Vales Rd. opposite the entrance to the Power Station, but has been told that they cannot be moved for 6 months
Fishing Workshop - Rob Regnis reported that planning for the children’s Fishing Workshop in November was proceeding well, but that $165 was needed, so he was applying for a CCIG Grant. The meeting endorsed this action and authorized the Chairman to sign the form