Push to keep money for traffic services local

MORE than $180,000 was spent on traffic control services from a Cairns provider in one month by Tablelands Regional Council but Deputy Mayor Cr Kevin Cardew wants it to stop.

Cr Cardew told a recent meeting he was concerned that 11 orders for traffic control services totalling $181,000 in February had been given to a Cairns-based company instead of local providers.

“I’m getting phone calls from traffic control companies within our own local government area saying they are not getting a fair go,” he said.

“Here we are with $181,000 in one month alone and we all know how much we use traffic control services.

“So, I want to see our local people get a fair go and be offered this work before we go outside of our local government area.”

Infrastructure Services general manager Mark Viz believed the problem was a “very short-term” one, explaining there would be an opportunity for local providers to be added to the council’s pre-qualified supplier register when it comes due for renewal in May.

He said there had been a local provider on a previous register but that business had ceased to operate.

“As you might understand, when we purchase traffic control services, some are planned but there are a lot of repeat short term procurement activities that we would prefer to use the prequalified register for because we have all already have got them on board, we have got their insurance and certifications and all of those types of things on the books so basically it’s an easier way to engage them on an ad hoc basis,” Mr Vis said.

Cr Cardew said when the register was first established some years ago, he had asked whether local companies could be added to the prequalified suppliers register at any time during the year or whether they had to wait until it was open again.

“I was told ‘yes’ but I have been told by a supplier that they can’t get on the list until it comes up again,” he said.

Mr Viz said he was unaware of any local contractor who had requested to be on the register and took the question on notice.

Chief executive officer Gary Rinehart advised that a report on the use of traffic control services would be provided to councillors in the near future.

Multiple charges for Malanda man

welcomed us to Country,” she said.

“Lions Club would like to thank their subcommittee members Carina Platt, Susanne Reynolds and Rayanne Chalk; the artists Bob Sinclair, Robyn Moule, Lyndal White, Margo Watkins, Peter Lawlor, and Eacham Historical society; graphic deisgner Mandy Postle; the workers who hung the banners; Mamu artist Melanie Hava for the kind donation of her designs; and all those who came to celebrate with us on Saturday.”

“Tablelanders, we invite you all to come and check out our glorious Main Street!”

Towns cop 1m of rainfall

MORE than a metre of rain has fallen in both Mareeba and Atherton since the start of the year.

With finer weather forecast for April, locals will be looking forward to getting into the wet- test parts of their properties after 1090mm of rain fell in Atherton since the year began, with 566mm falling in January alone.

Mareeba, known for its 300 sunny days a year, was inundated by 616mm of rain in

January, 250mm in February, 142mm in March, and 30mm in April so far, bringing the total to 1038mm to date.

Walkamin recorded just below the metre mark, with 974mm of rainfall.

A MALANDA man has fallen foul of the law after multiple incidents occurred in the Ravenshoe area late last month.

The man was intercepted on Tully Falls Road, Koombooloomba, at about 3am on 30 March for vehicle checks when police allegedly located a quantity of cannabis, methylamphetamine, hashish and money in the vehicle.

The man then returned to Ravenshoe where it will be further alleged he conducted burnouts outside the police station causing damage to the fence and chopping up the grass on the footpath.

Police also claim that when they attempted to speak to the man on 1 April at an address on Ascham Street, he resisted arrest, kicking the vehicle door into an officer.

The 31-year-old man is expected to appear in the Atherton Magistrates Court on 18 April 18, charged with one count each of possessing dangerous drugs, possessing property suspected of having been used in a crime, possessing drug utensils, possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity, dangerous operation of motor vehicle, wilful damage, obstructing police and assaulting police.