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I was thrilled to find today's edition delivered onto my front lawn.
Now I can enjoy my breakfast whilst catching up on all the happenings in the Highlands.
Keep printing and good luck.
Vera Pickford
'So much for democracy'
Re the council meeting of June 24, 2020.
Council made several recommendations that will have significant long-term effects on the shire.
Most of us would either willingly, or accordingly to our personal philosophy, agree that growth is inevitable and that we should be prepared to accept it to some degree.
Rational logic, coupled with the shire's strategic planning expectations as encapsulated in our 2030 vision statements, would or should acknowledge that our towns, villages, and hamlets are separate entities and have different planning visions and imperatives.
Personally, I believe that it is not only short-sighted, but very regrettable that some individuals, interest groups and speculators cannot understand the district differences nor the intrinsic values of each.
I have witnessed firsthand how economic imperatives often outweigh the social and psychological well-being and "quality of life" for many people.
The loss of local character and development is generally achieved by way of the unproven promises of jobs, growth, and sustainability, which ultimately becomes nothing more than growth and an endless and unsatisfied circle of growth chasing more promises of jobs and growth.
Over time the vision of life that has been promised morphs into something far different. Hamlets become villages, and villages become towns, and towns become cities, and communities become distant and impersonal.
I would like to cite for information the Robertson proposal. A total of 35 residents provided submissions. Of these 32 related to the proposed new land release area in North East Robertson. Of those 32 submissions only eight supported the proposal.
Why then didn't most councillors give due consideration and support the views given, by way of consultation, and support council's suggestion to put this land release on hold and carry out further consultation at a future time?
Disturbingly one councillor argued that the new area should be released now. His reasoning was that the community had already been consulted.
This certainly is an arrogant, dismissive, and strange logic, particularly when only 25 per cent of the submissions supported the new release area. Based on this attitude it seems some elected representatives are prepared to consult, but not to listen!
A further slap in the face came about when me and two other councillors attempted to submit a rescission motion the day after the meeting to bring this back for debate.
We were told conveniently that they had already been uploaded to the Department of Planning website removing all procedural fairness.
So much for democracy.
Cr Larry Whipper
Call for support of Station Street task force
Widening Station Street to four lanes for 950 metres and then return to two lanes at both ends a block away from our town centre doesn't make sense.
Why not use Kirkham Road as a bypass away from the centre?
It is already being widened.
It could save:
- the eight National Trust pin Oaks
- parking around the rail station and the town centre
- maybe some of the $18million of taxpayer's funds for the Station Street widening
- time. Apparently it is going to take two years to widen Station Street.
- small businesses along the 950 metres and the centre
Join friendsofbowral@gmail.com and form a task force against this development.
As they say "It is never too late".
Harley Harwood
Praise for solar approach
Full credit to the forward thinking of the Moss Vale Basketball Stadium and Paul Barcicki for installing 120 solar panels on the roof ("Panels turn stadium green", June 26).
Down the road at Bega the shire council is also adding solar panels to community buildings.
Banding together in this way, we can help reduce Australia's total emissions, and save on power bills.
Well done Moss Vale.