January 18, 2017
Tracking down the cause of a mysterious water leak at Kingaroy’s 63-year-old swimming pool is proving more difficult than expected.
Unexpected and hidden water is leaking into the pool, which is causing difficulty maintaining proper chlorine and water levels to ensure effective pool operation.
The leak, which led to the closure of the pool in early December, has forced council engineers to put all the pool’s systems through a full assessment process.
They have now drained the pool and eliminated the solar and heat pump systems as a cause, but are still waiting on an assessment of the water filtration system.
Mayor Keith Campbell said while the pool was drained, staff took the opportunity to carry out maintenance work on the pool’s interior; and he was hopeful it would be refilled later this week.
But until the source of the problem can be identified and fixed, he was unable to say exactly when the pool would reopen.
“We definitely appreciate the patience of pool users while we get this fixed,” the Mayor said.
“This happened at the worst possible time, and we are working to get the pool reopened as soon as we possibly can.
“While the pool remains closed, though, all current passes purchased for the Kingaroy Pool can be used at the Nanango, Murgon and Wondai pools.”
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A Blackbutt resident is probably $500 richer after using ECU Australia’s banking facility at the South Burnett Regional Council’s Blackbutt office late last year.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Councillors were told a $500 cash shortfall was discovered on November 30 when staff tallied up the day’s cash holdings.
Council officers began an investigation which included reviewing all available CCTV footage, but found nothing irregular.
Account holders who performed banking transactions that day were also contacted to discover if any had received an overpayment, also without success.
As a result of the incident the Council has now instituted a range of new procedures to tighten cash handling at the branch.
But it was still obliged to record the loss of an asset under the Local Government Regulation 2012.
Officers recommended Councillors formally write off the $500.
Councillors agreed.
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Work on sealing the remaining unsealed sections of the South Burnett Rail Trail is expected to start in late February and be completed by late May this year, weather permitting.
Last November the SBRC agreed to release the contractor who was sealing the trail for several months so he could help with the reconstruction of Swickers in Kingaroy.
Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff told the meeting work on completing other aspects of the Rail Trail is progressing in the meantime.
Council workers have begun installing guide posts near culverts and drop-offs along the trail, and soil has been removed and levelled from a cutting near Barambah Creek.
The completed trail is now expected to be officially opened on the October long weekend as part of the South Burnett and Cherbourg On Show festival.
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A projected $789,691 budget surplus for 2016-17 has now shrunk to $525,170, Finance portfolio chair Cr Ros Heit told Wednesday’s meeting.
The main cause of the $264,521 slide has been a decrease in the amount of interest the Council is receiving on its investments due to lower interest rates.
This has reduced the Council’s income by $687,453.
A decrease in fuel rebates has put another $64,748 hole in the budget, and a drop in rental income from the Wondai Caravan Park has added another $13,610.
Against this, the Council has been able to reduce materials and services costs by $260,624 and has found another $151,673 in savings and extra income.
Lower than expected outlays on waste water and waste largely cover the balance.
Changes in the Budget are monitored every three months as part of the Council’s normal financial controls.
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The Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Hospital will begin offering gynaecology and general surgery services this month.
Mayor Keith Campbell said the hospital board had purchased $218,000 worth of new equipment to allow the hospital to expand its services.
The purchases have been funded from a $600,000 gift to the hospital by business woman Gina Rinehart.
Additional equipment purchases will be considered later this year.
