Mar2012_COUNCILLORS COLUMN

• March 5, 2012
• Politics and Council
• Editor

Community Capacity Building and Development;
Community Facilities Development; 
Interest Free Loans for projects that respond to community issues, enhance wellbeing and safety, encourage participation and partnerships and reduce social isolation or disadvantage.
For more information on how your group may be as successful as many others around Division 11 in the past, visit our website, phone 3205 0555 or email grants@moretonbay.qld.gov.au.
MEET WITH YOUR COUNCILLOR
As part of my ongoing mobile office program, my next formal visits to Dayboro will be at the Dayboro Office in Williams Street on Friday 16th March from 2pm – 4pm. Please come along and have a chat – no appointment necessary.
WILLIAMS STREET BRIDGE UPGRADE
Work is currently underway by Telstra to relocate their fibre optic cables and UnityWater will, in the next few weeks, commence relocation of the water main currently attached to the bridge.  The rotunda in Lions Park has recently been relocated and works on widening the channel under Williams Street remains on schedule to commence in June.

ANOTHER 163 NEW AUSSIES
Australia Day dawned with a brief respite from the rain of previous days and whilst all outdoor events the Council had planned to entertain our residents had to be cancelled, the huge Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony held at Strathpine was again a big success.  Division 11 was well represented with 21 candidates from as far apart as Mt Glorious and Narangba taking part.  The candidates originally came from 29 countries around the world with the majority hailing from the United Kingdom and South Africa.  Apart from receiving their Citizenship Certificate before an enthusiastic group of friends and relatives, the candidates were presented with a small tree by their respective Divisional councillors as a token of “something new”.
COUNCIL SUPPORTS AGL RESCUE HELICOPTER SERVICE
The AGL Action Rescue Helicopter is a vital not-for-profit service that provides a significant lifesaving contribution to the residents of our region, through its activities in beach and ocean rescue, airlifts from traffic accidents and other medivac flights.  This organisation, which is the oldest such service in Australia, only exists by the goodwill of corporate and community donations.  Council recently made the decision to make a donation on behalf of our residents of $50,000.  This investment is one that we would hope we don’t need to call upon.
EARTH HOUR
Earth Hour which is held on 31st March has become well known around the world with millions of people from more than 5,000 towns and cities across 135 countries participating each year.  One of the ways you can be part of Earth Hour 2012 is by joining in a Spotlight Walk with Friends of CREEC around some of their bushland trails for the chance of spotting the more mysterious nightlife of our region.  This activity will take place at the CREEC Environment Centre, Rowley Rd, Burpengary from 7.30pm – 9.30pm.  Details are available on Council’s website.  At the end of the day, Earth Hour is not about saving an hour’s electricity, it’s about uniting people to protect the planet and we can all be part of that.
DID YOU KNOW?
That at the peak of the recent rain period more than 90 roads around the region were closed with a further 60 only passable with caution.  The SES attended to more than 500 call outs and over 12,000 sandbags were issued from Council/SES depots.  In excess of $1m in damage has been done to the Council road network.

For all your general council enquiries call 3205 0555 or email mbrc@moretonbay.qld.gov.au
If I can assist further please contact me.
Councillor Bob Millar
Independent – Division 11
info@bobmillar.com.au
mobile 0409 890 203