Council News WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL
Issue 66
Weekly information from us to you
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 2015
WAGGA WAGGAFEST WINNING STREAK Sheraden Robins has again taken out the top prize at the annual Wagga Waggafest Special Awards Screening Night by just four points. The winners were announced at the Civic Theatre on Wednesday 14 October and also live-streamed on Waggawagga.TV. A countback was needed to decide the Hume Bank Best Overall Film prize worth $2500, with Robins and collaborator Klutch Kable edging out CSU student Thomas Parker. Sheraden’s’ high-flying feature The Wagga Wagga Sky featured cameos from Charles Kingsford Smith and Harry Houdini in an animated adventure, while Thomas celebrated our region’s beauty before educating the community on illegal dumping in Don’t Waste Wagga. Thomas didn’t go home empty handed, taking out the Charles Sturt University Prize, while Robins also won the Waggawagga.tv Best Wagga Visual. Waggafest judge and ABC Open producer Sonya Gee was so impressed with Thomas’ entry, she contacted the photographer and filmmaker to blog about his entry. Continued next page
CONGRATULATIONS: Sheraden Robins (left) celebrates her Hume Bank Best Overall Film and WaggaWagga. TV Best Wagga Visual wins with Mayor Rod Kendall at the 2015 Waggafest Special Awards Screening Night on 14 October at the Civic Theatre. Sheraden and collaborator Klutch Kable's film The Wagga Wagga Sky (inset) captured the imagination of the judges.
Protecting our city
Temporary Special Rate Variation proposed to fund levee upgrade Wagga Wagga City Council is proposing to fund its share of an upgrade to the flood levee system with a Special Rate Variation (SRV). Pending the outcome of grant applications for State and Federal Government funding, Council is committed to funding one-third of the cost to upgrade the Main City Levee to a 1-in-100-year level of protection, and the potential upgrade of the North Wagga Levee to a 1-in-20-year level of protection.
2015
COMMunity survey.
Cost estimates by NSW Public Works indicate the upgrades will cost a total of $23.3 million. Council intends to fund its onethird share of $7.75M with an SRV. This would be a one-off increase above the rate peg that would stand for five years only. Under the proposed increase, property owners in the Farmland rate category will pay an additional 1.91 per cent above the rate peg.
Assuming a rate peg of 3 per cent the total increase for Farmland properties would be 4.91 per cent. All other properties will see an increase of 4.1 per cent above the rate peg. Assuming a rate peg of 3 per cent the total increase for all rateable properties not in the Farmland category would be 7.1 per cent. Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Rod Kendall said this is an important
infrastructure project. “We need to get moving with this project to help protect the City of Wagga Wagga and safeguard its future prosperity,” Cr Kendall said. “If we don’t raise the funds needed with an increase in rates we will have to borrow the money and find a way to pay it back with interest, this will result in reduced services for the community.” Committee4Wagga is also
throwing its support behind the upgrade. “Flood security is pivotal to the potential growth required to ensure the commercial and economic viability of our city,” Committee4Wagga CEO Chris Fitzpatrick said. Members of the community can learn more about the proposed SRV and how it impacts them online at yoursaywagga.com.au/srv.
Your chance to give Wagga Wagga City Council a report card is NOW OPEN! CLOSES 31 OCTOBER 2015 wagga.nsw.gov.au/communitysurvey