Sadly last week we saw the passing of a popular, successful and enthusiastic educator in the form of former Sanctuary Point Public School Principal, Jeff Ward. Jeff had only retired at the end of last year and had many plans for his retirement. Jeff valued the students and the hard work of his staff and generously acknowledged the work of volunteers, like myself, to the school community.

The Education Department deserves recognition for the support and counselling it put in place for all members of the Sanctuary Point School community.  

Vale Jeff Ward - you will be missed.  

Most council meetings draw a crowd to the public gallery of people interested in issues that matter to a local community in the Shoalhaven. 

Councillors argue passionately one way or another, often for matters of just a few thousand dollars. Once a decision is made, the gallery empties out and people return to their normal lives free of local government. 

So it was last Tuesday night, except for a few Greens Party members who avidly barrack for their councillors. Sometime after 10.30pm on Tuesday February 27, having started this council meeting at 5pm, a recommendation was tabled by staff requesting that council “enters into a loan agreement under the seal of Council” for over $57 million.

The bare minimum report accompanying this recommendation did not include a copy of the agreement and with only a four paragraph report of the general manager to back it, the Greens, Team Gash and Labor councillors all voted to approve the agreement. 

When I pointed out to the general manager that he had failed to provide us with the $57 million agreement that he wanted us to approve, instead of withdrawing the request he promised to send out a copy after the meeting. 

So council voted blindly to enter into this agreement. Two days after voting it through, councillors received a copy of what they had signed up to for ratepayers.

Not only do Shoalhaven Independents councillors fight to save the Bomaderry Pool, to stop amalgamations and to keep our rates affordable, we are also working to expose such reckless and irrational behaviour. This may not be interesting enough to make the top of the bulletin or the front page, yet it is a clear demonstration of governance failure at Shoalhaven City Council.

One thing that annoys and frustrates me is the fact Nowra based businesses and organisations/groups are reluctant to advertise.

For instance, over the last year, or two, there have been several new and relocated businesses in the CBD who have not advertised that they are open for customers. How do they expect people to frequent their business if potential customers are not aware of their existence?

Regularly I pick up Wednesday’s South Coast Register and read reports about events that happened over the previous week that I may have attended had I known that the event/s were on. Sometimes it is necessary to spend money to improve the likelihood of success.

The one excuse we should not accept from the NSW government is that they do not have the funds to fix our South Coast road system. If they can find $2.5 billion to rebuild a couple of perfectly adequate sports stadia in Sydney, they can find the money to make our roads safer.