Richmond Valley Notes

with Therese Schier

Rate meetings

The public meetings have been held; the rate rise is in place; but Evans Head and some Casino ratepayers are still not happy with Richmond Valley Council's decision to go ahead with a 12.71% rate rise largely based on land values.

Only 16 ratepayers turned up to the first of last week's meetings in Casino, and for the most part sat in silence as Council's finance manager James Brickley manipulated the figures on his spreadsheet.

The average rate rise, including sewerage and water charges, will be 9% for Casino residents and 8.66% for Evans Head residents, leaving some in the audience scratching their heads about the reasons for the complaints coming from down river.

"I get the feeling we're subsidising Evans Head, who are asset rich," said Casino resident Brian James.

The next night it was Evans Heads turn and 80 people turned up to express their opposition to the rise, which residents believe will have a severe impact in town due to soaring land values.

Council's general manager Brian Wilkinson tried to allay concerns.

"We tried to come up with a balance given the variations of land values across the Council area," he said.

Dr Richard Gates, representing the Evans Head and District Ratepayer's Association, attacked Council's consultative process.

"No one voted in favour of the 13% increase at the Woodburn meeting," he said.

First time councillor Peter McLennan probably wished he'd kept his head down like the other councillors in attendance when he put his hand up to say he'd listened to ratepayer concerns.

"We're listening!" Council's finance manager James Brickley, mayor Charlie Cox, general manager Brian Wilkinson and directors Wayne Halcrow and Ken Exley from Richmond Valley Council listen to community concerns at last week's rate rise meeting with Evans Head ratepayers.

His comment was greeted with jeers and laughter.

Other ratepayers wanted to know what increase in services or other benefits would result from the extra revenue, with one resident angrily exclaiming "The road out at New Italy you can't even drive on," and challenged the Mayor to "come out in your flash car!"

But it seems their questions will go largely unanswered.

"I can't give a definitive answer," replied Mr Wilkinson, adding that council is currently conducting a review of all its programs and services.

And so it goes on...

Granted - it's election time

Must be an election in the air! First it was Mark Latham's visit to Bonalbo and Lismore and this past week Federal member for Page Ian Causley was out in Casino and Kyogle handing out grants. Guess it's one of the advantages of being a marginal seat.

Spirit of Learning

Page MP Ian Causley presenting $64,400 to Spirit of Learning coordinator Robyn Ferguson and Richmond Valley Business Service chairman Mark Miller.

Mr Causley's first stop was the launch of the Spirit of Learning project in Casino, where he handed over a grant for $64,400 to get the project up and running.

The three-stage project involves strategies and activities aimed at addressing school survival, intense study and career preparation and assistance with exams for Aboriginal high school students.

Aboriginal enterprise development officer with the Richmond Valley Business Service in Casino, Robyn Ferguson, who will coordinate the program, said the aim is to help students make an effective transition from school to work or onto further education.

"We're aiming to keep young indigenous students in school for the sake of developing their own career and lifestyle options," she said. "A program like this is a means to an end. This is a more intensive program and we are aiming to link to school mentoring, industry mentoring, small business apprenticeships and traineeships."

A career development camp is planned for October involving mock exams, study skills, career path development, time management, negotiation and leadership skills and planning processes.

Kyogle Council amphitheatre

The following day it was off to Kyogle where Mr Causley presented a grant of $150,200 to help Kyogle Council redevelop the amphitheatre site on the northern side of town.

The existing natural amphitheatre area will be upgraded allowing a wide range of large-scale community events to be held, including bull riding, clinics and markets. The amphitheatre will also receive permanent lighting, and the adjacent area will see a tourist information centre built and toilets upgraded.

Kyogle mayor Ernie Bennett said council said the project would allow community events and markets to have a permanent location.

Norply

Mr Causley then headed up the road to the Norply timber plant to present $500,000 from the government's Sustainable Regions Program to help the company establish a new preservative treatment facility for plywood manufacturing.

The new treatment, Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ), is a non-toxic and more environmentally friendly timber preservation process, replacing the previously used CCA treatment that contains arsenic.

"We were looking for a better, safer treatment," said Norply's general manager Peter Wintour. "ACQ is actually a better product to use for the treatment of our veneers. Environmentally it's a winner."

Norply is the only timber plant to have its own on-site treatment plant.