Following the forced cancellation of the July meeting due to the covid lockdown, a group of about 30 Island residents gathered for the August meeting at the RSL in Arcadia.
President Cameron Turnbull opened the meeting with the sad news of the deaths of Lis McColl, Allan Sherett Snr and Hugo Zobel.
Matters arising from the June meeting were discussed. Enquiries to MLA Scott Stewart re heating of the school pool had received the unsatisfactory reply that he had proposed this, but it had not been included in the budget.
Enquiries to Cr Ann-Maree Greaney regarding a) the compliance officer and b) the leak in the Nelly Bay reservoir received unusual responses. On the matter of the compliance officer, this was included in the Council budget, but requests for a job description received a response which was unable to be understood by anyone at the meeting. On the matter of the months old leak, the response from the Water and Waste department was that they were “aware of it and trying to resolve it”.
On the matter of the inadequacy of the Nelly Bay carpark, our request for a feasibility study of the options was denied, and the response from TMR was that options for the carpark were limited, therefore the answer was to improve the bus service. The inadequacy of the bus service and the lack of coordination between ferry and buses will have to change. Cameron Turnbull and Ewe Cheng Khoo will arrange a meeting with the bus company and Scott Stewart to work towards resolving this issue.
Carol Boland and Ann Thomas will do another survey of the carpark to reestablish the figures on cars parked there indefinitely.
Charlie McColl reported that MINCA’s efforts to buy the CSIRO tick station land at Bolgers Bay for a conservation park had been successful and the purchase was going through.
In general business it was reported that it had been six weeks without public toilets in Picnic Bay although now there are temporary demountables there. The meeting endorsed a proposal that the Council consult the community in the planning of the new toilets. In a related matter it was suggested that the new toilets incorporate a dump point for caravans and campers as there are none on the island. There was spirited discussion on whether this would encourage illegal free camping, but the meeting resolved to pursue this matter in the community consultation the Council has promised for the new toilets.
The proposal for a flood study for Horseshoe Bay has been refused, but the meeting resolved that we should wait until the present flood mitigation works were complete and see how they work.
Mike Schmidt reported on the Townsville Port channel widening and said the excavator had a 43 metre bucket which surprised him and he was worried about sediment. However he reported that scientists said they would be watching closely and would readjust dredging to suit. Work should start by September. MICDA has been given a $75,000 grant by the Barrier Reef Foundation to monitor this.
On the matter of the suggested hydrogen plant, nothing has happened yet. MICDA has a working group on energy and is examining all the possibilities. They have another grant from the Council of $70,000 for a feasibility study.
William Cook, who coaches the Arcadia Nippers, reported that Glen Buchanan, who has been a member since he was six, had now won 6 gold medals at the Olympics. The meeting applauded.
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