Small Miracle
All too often we read in the press stories of greed, dishonesty, and lack of integrity so when someone is honest, kind and empathic they deserve public recognition. I lost my eternity ring on Narooma golf course on Saturday morning. Needless to say when I realised I had lost it I was devastated and gave up any hope of finding it because I had no idea where on the course I had lost it. Imagine my joy when Colin Holmes (the Golf Professional) rang me later in the afternoon to tell me my beautiful eternity ring had been found. Thank you to Colin and his team for providing a secure place for it. To Don Caldwell who found it, words cannot convey my gratitude; a miraculous find indeed. I rang him to thank him personally and he told me that he thought whoever lost it would be very sad and I most certainly was. Again Don, my sincerest thanks. You are most definitely a man of integrity, kindness, and honesty.
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Robyn Shackleton, Narooma
Piscatorial ploys
There’s usually something fishy when Frank O’Brien writes about politics but his recent piscine prose bemused me. I had to mullet ova. With a federal election looming, is he baiting us Labour supporters? Upon reflection, I think not. Politics leads us into murky waters and Frank is wise enough to know the difference between a carp and a politician. One is a bottom sucking mud stirrer and the other one is a fish.
Richard Tilzey, Tilba
Congrats MACS
I wish to congratulate MACS on their wonderful artwork and exhibition on the weekend. I cannot help but hope that their artistic prowess will translate into a proficient and effective standard of business management. Now that the Eurobodalla shire has selected them to be in charge of the business of running a tourist information centre, the future of the tourism industry in our town depends on it. I wish them the best and look forward to seeing the results, as I'm sure will many others
Narelle Davis, Narooma
Bits and pieces
If council is to be believed global warming is to flood the lower Narooma area, so with the money spent on new infrastructure and a northern submarine gantry under bridge one has to wonder what message they are sending us simple plebs. Which then brings me to my next dilemma, why is the Camber of Commerce with their award wining Oyster Fest combining with the Award Blues Fest to create a long weekend with school holiday an imploded event both drastically reduced but just as costly event ? This is in the face of other towns drawing Fleetwood Mac etc and building on their event while Narooma cuts back, with both having run prior over three days. Accommodation for the period of the weekend is almost non existent when viewed over the internet, why money best guess. The original Oyster Fest concept was designed to bring people in during low season to Narooma but now there seems to have been a deal struck to support one another during the peak summer period mmmm, at that time I was in the Chamber and at the meetings so can confirm. With that one thinks of the trees that have not been replaced at the back of the Wharf in front of the Wharf apartments as is supposed to be be council perhaps only plebs have to comply.
Kerry Challis, Narooma
Confidential session
I refer to Emily Barton's Editorial in Wednesday's paper where she took issue with council's decision to take the debate on Narooma leisure centre event license into confidential session. My understanding is that none of the councillors wanted a closed session. But as the discussion related to a tender, and section 23A of the Local Government Act dictates that discussion be in closed session, that was that. For Emily Barton to say that 'legal implications were said to have stopped a public debate' suggests that the decision was optional, where if it was optional so too is the law requiring us to stop at red traffic lights. I understand the confusion. A large number of people in the gallery claimed it was up to us, and several councillors voted to dismiss the ruling. Some understood the process and simply voted that way as a tactic, others, disappointingly, didn't get or didn't want to get the process. To have done as Emily had wanted would have put the decision into doubt, suiting the purposes of the losing tenderer, as it turned out, the anti-HuntFest people, but would have made the tendering process a joke. If anyone wants to take the matter further, contact the office of Local Government or the Minister.
Clr Neil Burnside, Narooma
Another Way
I attended the council Meeting on March 22. It was a dreadful experience. On the agenda was the use of the Narooma Leisure and surrounds for the June long weekend from 2018 to 2022. Two proposals were under consideration. In the public forum eight people spoke including myself recommending one of the proposals. There emerged a strong move for the decision to be deferred to the new council to be elected in just over 5 months. After all the matter was over two years into the future. A motion to defer was denied. The gallery was then told by the Deputy Mayor that Council needed now to move into confidentiality. The gallery was upset when told to leave the chamber for councillors to debate the matter in private for debatable legal reasons around the’ tendering' process. The whole process felt token to me. It was a deplorable, dreadful, disempowering experience I would not want to put myself through ever again. I could understand why so many present were furious and enraged. There has to be another way.
Noel Davis, Narooma