Wayne Kratzmann and Ros Heit
SBRC Mayor Wayne Kratzmann swears in newly elected Division 6 Cr Ros Heit

October 17, 2013

Newly elected Division 6 Cr Ros Heit was ceremonially sworn in at yesterday’s monthly South Burnett Regional Council meeting.

Cr Heit was elected on September 26 and sworn in by Council CEO Ken McLoughlin a few days afterwards so she could begin representing her division immediately.

Yesterday’s swearing-in was a matter of form only.

Mayor Wayne Kratzmann nonetheless welcomed Cr Heit aboard, saying he “felt relieved” to have a full complement of councillors in the chamber again.

“With one mayor and five councillors, there was always the chance we’d have a deadlock on some issues and I’d have to use my Mayor’s casting vote to break it,” he said.

“But with six councillors and a Mayor, that’s now unlikely to happen.”

* * *
The National Broadband Network’s roll-out across the South Burnett appears to be proceeding to plan, despite Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s decision to order a strategic review of NBNCo’s operations.

At yesterday’s Council meeting, South Burnett councillors approved three development applications from NBNCo to erect wireless towers at:

  • 27 Acacia Drive, Ellesmere
  • Kingaroy-Cooyar Road, Maidenwell
  • 57 Boonenne-Elesmere Road, Kingaroy

Council also approved an application for a telecommunications monopole at 100 Hines Road, Wooroolin, which will house NBN equipment.

No objections were received for the Ellesmere and Maidenwell proposals.

The council received one submission on the Wooroolin proposal and two submissions on the Kingaroy proposal.

* * *
The Council will refund a $387 Building Application Fee to the Nanango Race Club which the club paid when it constructed an awning extension at the racecourse recently.

The Race Club had requested the refund because it is a not-for-profit community organisation.

Councillors agreed but the SBRC will keep the $161 document lodgement fee the club also paid, in accordance with usual practice.

* * *
Four of the South Burnett’s major sporting codes – rugby league, soccer, netball and cricket – will be asked to complete a survey this month to help establish the strengths of each group and their future needs.

Smaller sporting groups will also be surveyed, but at a later date.

The survey is being conducted by the Council’s Healthy Communities Management Advisory Committee.

* * *
Plans to build a caravan park at Boondooma Homestead are proceeding and the Homestead’s Management Advisory Committee hope to have it open by April 2014 in time for the Spirit Of The Bush Heritage Weekend and Muster.

Refurbishment of cabins on the site is also proceeding to plan and a submission to Australia Post’s Our Neighbourhood Community Grants program has resulted in a $16,000 contribution towards refurbishment costs.

Quotes will be called for the installation of effluent and plumbing systems in the near future.

* * *
The SBRC will offer no objection to an application to permanently close a non-existent road at Wooroolin.

The Council was advised by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines this month that the owner of block of land located between the Bunya Highway and the Wooroolin Wetlands had applied to permanently close a road reserve abutting five lots in a historical subdivision that exists on the block.

The five lots – and the non-existent road – are currently located beneath cultivated land.

The applicant told DNRM that the reason for their application is that they want to develop the land for residential use.

Councillors had no objection.

* * *
The South Burnett Regional Council will continue holding its ordinary meetings in Kingaroy on the third Wednesday of each month in 2014, except for January.

The SBRC adopted its 2014 meeting schedule at yesterday’s meeting.

Because of the Christmas-New Year break, councillors decided that January’s meeting should be held on the fourth Wednesday, January 22.

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