Richmond Valley Notes

with Therese Schier

Evans Head funding in the poo

Richmond Valley Council is being pressured to get on with building the Evans Head sewerage treatment plant by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), despite uncertainty surrounding a $2 million NSW government subsidy for the project.

Following changes to Government priorities, Council may miss out on the subsidy or be shortchanged for work begun before the subsidy is received.

Council's director of works, Gary Murphy, said the cost of the upgrade has risen to $9 million.

"DEC is forcing us to proceed without a subsidy," he said.

Council will send a delegation to meet with utilities minister Frank Sartor for a commitment on the subsidy.

Cr Col Sullivan said that without the money, it would delay the project for years.

"We can't not build it," he said.

Mayor Charlie Cox said that without State Government support, the cost would add $900 to ratepayers' water and sewerage bills.

New buyer for chambers

Council has called off a deal to sell the former Casino Council chambers after eight months of negotiations, but is now talking to a new potential buyer.

Community groups hoping to retain the building as a community cultural centre will now have to wait and see how this latest round of negotiations proceed.

No free tip

Shannonbrook resident Kay McGrath will have to wait a few months to find out whether she can have free access to Casino tip to dispose of plastic bags from her husband's home dialysis treatment.

On Tuesday, Council adopted a policy on applications for free access to dispose of medical waste.

To score a freebie residents must not be receiving a garbage service, will need to prove hardship, and produce a letter from the North Coast Area Health Service.

The McGrath's will continue to receive a credit facility until the policy is formally in place and their case is assessed.

Handful vie for retirement village

Council will speak to five of the six organisations interested in the taking over control of the Mid Richmond Retirement Village.

They'll be asked to present proposals on the future management, purchase or lease of the site.

Representatives from the existing management committee will be allowed to sit in on all presentations, despite Cr Col Sullivan's efforts to exclude them. He argued unsuccessfully that being part of the process would give them a commercial advantage.

Village Market

The CMCA Casino Motorhome Village is holding their second quarterly market day next Saturday, November 27.

There'll be plenty of refreshments, with the proceeds going to local community groups.

New stallholders are welcome. Phone Nerelle Hoskings on 6662 1069.

Tidy turkey town

Kyogle's newly formed Tidy Towns committee has the planter boxes for the main street in its sights for a spruce up. Neglect and vandalism has left the planters looking shabby. The committee is calling on businesses to restore the planters, hoping it will create civic pride and reduce vandalism.

Hairport owner Leanne Skinner is showing the way with a freshly painted planter filled with new plants outside her salon.

"Vandalism is a big problem. People sit on the sides and the plants break, or else they pull the plants out or cut off the flowers. In many instances they use them to butt out their cigarettes. It can be really disheartening," she said.

"At the moment, we have ours filled with gardenia and marigolds. They have been in a month now and it is looking really pretty. The real test will be when they start to flower," Leanne said. "All we ask is that people respect them, imagine how nice it would look if all of the planters were full of healthy colourful plants, and not full of cigarette butts!"

Tidy Towns committee chairperson, Rita Martin, agrees.

"People have suggested that the planters be removed totally from the main street because they are unsightly. We believe that if we can encourage people to do the right thing, they can be an asset to the look of the street. We are asking the local community to assist us," Rita said.

The Tidy Towns program is part of the Council-run Sense of Place program to encourage sustainable local economic growth.

A timetable for further community workshops is available on Council's website www.kyogle.nsw.gov.au, or call economic development officer Samantha Muller on 6632 0293.

Keeping kidneys healthy

At the launch of a series of health books aimed at helping Goorie people fight diabetes are Adrielle Carrasco, Jacqui Beaumont, Nadine Coker, Graeme Walker and Jo Cooper, members of the multi-disciplinary team that helped develop the books.

A series of health books aimed at helping the Goorie community fight high incidences of diabetes in Aboriginal people were launched in Casino last week.

The three books, about exercise, good food and diabetes, were illustrated by local Goorie artists and were developed by health officials working closely with local Aboriginal communities.

Project coordinator Joanne Cooper said the complications from diabetes can be very serious.

"The new books, produced locally, are a very valuable resource that will help spread the good health message amongst community members of all ages," she said.