August 25, 2020
Level 3 water restrictions which have been in effect since March 2017 will be reviewed towards the end of the year to determine if they need to be changed.
At August’s monthly SBRC meeting, Water portfolio chair Cr Roz Frohloff advised that at the end of July, Bjelke-Petersen Dam was at 16.3 per cent capacity; Boondooma Dam at 34.1 per cent; Gordonbrook Dam at 55 per cent; and Boobir Dam at 21 per cent.
Last August, water levels at all four dams were much lower.
However, summer rains replenished them enough to make any change to water restrictions unnecessary.
Under current restrictions, hand held watering is permitted from 7:00am to 8:00am, and 5:00pm to 6:00pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for odd numbered houses and Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays for even numbered houses. No residential watering is permitted on Mondays.
The use of sprinklers is banned, and hosing of paved or concreted areas is not permitted.
- Related article: BOM Issues La Niña Alert
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Council will tackle the bulk of water main replacements in Kingaroy’s CBD area from November.
Cr Frohloff told Council’s August meeting that while upgrades to water mains in Reen Street and Youngman Street North would occur in September and October, the bulk of the project – covering Alford, Kingaroy, Haly and Glendon streets – would occur between November and March.
Part of the water main in Haly Street, Wondai, between Hodge and Scott streets would also be replaced between November and January.
The water main replacements are part of a long-standing program to upgrade the region’s ageing water infrastructure, and follow on from other mains replacement works carried out in Nanango, Wooroolin and Kingaroy earlier this year.
Residents and businesses serviced by the mains will be advised in advance of any expected disruptions caused by the works.
Council is also planning to replace 700 ageing water meters across the region between August and March.
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Eight SBRC towns now have red benches to help raise awareness about domestic violence.
Rural Resilience chair Cr Kathy Duff said two more red benches were installed recently at Memorial Park in Hivesville and outside Wooroolin Hall.
They join others installed at Kumbia, Proston, Murgon, Wondai, Kingaroy and Nanango over the past 15 months.
In all, the Council plans to install a dozen red benches with others slated for Benarkin, Tingoora, Mondure and Durong.
Toowoomba Regional Council have also backed the red bench project, installing a bench near Yarraman’s post office last year.
- Related article: Red Benches Send A Message
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Locking public amenities at night in Murgon and Kingaroy has led to a dramatic fall in vandalism.
Cr Duff said officers were forced to take the drastic step in early June because of ongoing vandalism problems affecting the facilities at QEII Park in Murgon, and Glendon Street and O’Neill Square in Kingaroy.
Since night-time lockups were introduced there have been no reports of any vandalism or damage.
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South Burnett Regional Council’s customer service centres, libraries and administration offices will shut down for Christmas at noon on Thursday, December 24.
They will re-open again for business as usual on Monday, January 4.
During the festive season break, a skeleton staff will be rostered on to undertake on-call and emergency work if required.
Operational and outdoor staff will also work on a skeleton staff arrangement between December 21 and January 1, but parks staff will be required to work through the Christmas period except on public holidays.
Employees will also have a half-day off on Friday, December 18, for their annual Christmas party.
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Next January’s Australia Day Awards ceremony will be held at Wondai Memorial Hall on Monday evening, January 25.
At the August meeting, Councillors approved the 2021 venue as well as the nomination forms.
The annual awards allow residents to nominate individuals who have made outstanding contributions to either their local communities, or to the region.
The awards are presented at a ceremony held on the eve of Australia Day (January 26), with the venue rotating to a different town each year.
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New food businesses will have to pay less cash up front for their food business licence thanks to accounting software now being used by Council.
At the August meeting, Councillors were told the Tech1 System can allow food licences to be charged on a monthly rather than annual basis.
Officers recommended Council swap to this pro-rata system to make it easier for new food businesses to get established in the region.
At present, all food business licences come up for annual renewal each September.
Under the current system, an operator who decides to start a new food business half-way through the year is required to pay full year costs.
Under the new system, they would only need to pay for six months of licence fees.
Councillors agreed to the change unanimously.
