GENTLEMAN Jim Clark has few “achievements”, as his soul-mate Lazza likes to call the ordinary process of good government, but one has come to pass.
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Council will do a one-off free pick-up of obsolete TV sets, limited to one per local household, date to be very widely advertised.
It was the mild-mannered Jim (as opposed to the normally-blustering Big Jim although uncharacteristically quiet this sennight) who observed the imminent danger of hundreds of obsolete sets being dumped in bushland once the digital age dawns, rather than pay the 40 bucks RRC disposal fee.
His colleagues agreed unanimously but had to have a say in it.
GJ had asked for a report on a free e-waste pick-up and was rewarded with a “doomsday scenario” from Wollongong City who warned “be prepared for a huge turnout...total chaos” and reported a cost of over $100,000.
Larry “e-waste ain’t waste” Whipper dismissed that “scary report” with hollow laughter and an airy wave, smiling knowingly around that table that “we know we’re not Wollongong, why compare them?”
GJ was realistic enough to seek a budget of $50,000, based on 40 tonnes being collected and they’ll find the dough in the current budget review, maybe by fewer Code of Conduct witch hunts.
The recalled Financial Services Manager, Barry Paull had done some homework, said it cost $900 a tonne in disposal fees, told Big Jim his farmers’ solution of burying e-waste (like dead cows, no doubt) was illegal and observed the federal government would fund regional e-waste disposal centres, but only in major centres like Campbelltown or Wollongong.
Questioner Peter Smyth (that’s “Smith” with a “why”) reckoned the working TVs could be shipped to China more cheaply and to better effect.
With some import/export experience, he’d have a fair idea of costs, and losses, no doubt.
RETURNING to the table to hover, like Banquo’s ghost on the outer perimeter for this week’s mini-fest at the re-supplied Fort Ivory Towers (reinforcements filling all the gaps, new recruits gently blooded, war horses stabled, usual snafu) was the late-DCS, Barry Paull.
Back to manage finances at Winge Inc, it seems he’s the only one now who understands Collateralised Debt Obligations (if that’s what “CDO” means) and his reappointment by GM Jason Gordon again delays Mayor Ken “I play hardball” Halstead’s vow to clear the Winge Inc. ranks of all vestiges of the CDO fiasco, guilty or innocent alike.
Thus, it had to be his replacement and new boss, petite AGM Ann Prendergast who was directed by GM Jason into the subterranean bowels of the Towers towards the early close of the ‘fest to bring Barry forth.
“I have asked Mr Paull to explain....” prefaced the GM but Barry hasn’t changed much and he basically just read the report he’d prepared... two more CDOs had matured at 100 per cent of value, Magnolia at $5.1 million and soon Omega will be last for this financial year at $2m, meanwhile good old Elders honoured their $1m note, with interest of $2.7 earnt.
But, as managers love to say when all about them is collapsing in chaos “nothing has changed” and the recorded capital loss on CDOs stands at $8.466 million swallowed up in the States with a total of $14.5 million the expected loss by about 2017 when the Scots Bank stumbles in at $2m.
Duncan “give us good news” Gair despaired the CDO stain, having marked two councils, will yet spread to the new class of 12/16 come September and given the 2017 deadline on the Scots, he’s probably right.
Barry had little joy to contradict that prediction; the overseas court cases in the UK and US were in the appeals/judgement process...can’t say much in public (so what’s new) and the wheels of justice grind on.
LIP-SERVICE is paid by the social justice advocates and greens alike to cheaper housing but both Gentleman Jim Clark and Larry “don’t fence me in” Whipper shot up their hands in unison against Geoff Knox’s Braemar (they’re calling it “Nattai Ponds”) subdivision plan.
The Garden World site will resolve into a 128-lot subdivision
At this stage WSC approved only a Planning Proposal for rezoning from rural 40ha to residential and that’s what our urban heroes voted against, not wanting any further affordable residential land released, it seemed.
At the DA/DCP level, about 12 per cent of 450m2 lots will be provided, but road widths must allow passing and parking, with lay-back curbs.
This lot are still babes in the woods with greenfield land releases, which they approach with fear and trembling from the NIMBY backlash, a fear which they largely created at the last election with Chinese wall whispers.
Privately Geoff told me he could get the smaller blocks on the market for under $180,000, which is about where the smallest Renwick lots start and they’re still big enough for a car, bit of green and a clothes’ line.
What amazed our babes in the woods was this sort of density is classified “low density” by state planners, although it seemed high to them.
“High” will come to the highlands but at the moment super-planner Mark Pepping reckons there’s still room among the gumtrees for “a clothes-line out the back, verandah in front and an old rockin’ chair...”
Even a spare ‘roo or two, as there was a roadkill black wallaby in nearby Southey Street this week.
AUSSIES abroad, Linda and Graham McLaughlin popped up on Facebook on Anzac Day, commemorating the occasion with a pint at their local and pics of a freezing Dawn Service in the Old Dart.
Our other sometimes councillor Paul “the traveller” Tuddenham made another rushed trip south to chair the open council meeting on Tuesday afternoon and participate, as always, in the Anzac Day services.
Busiest on the “one day of the year” was Juliet “diggers’ doll” Arkwright while bran’ new and very busy AGM Ann Prendergast provided the “NZ” at Bundanoon for her first-ever ceremony for a sterling performance.
DUDLEY, listening to Grace practicing singing commented “Darling, I wish you’d sing Anzac Day songs.”
“That’s lovely of you Dudley, but why is that?” she asked.
“Then I’d only have to hear you once a year.”