The Council QuarterlyAuthorised by Shane Burns, General Manager. Armidale Dumaresq Council, PO Box 75A Armidale NSW 2350. Ph: 6770 3600. Fax: 6772 9275. Email: council@armidale.nsw.gov.au

Summer 2011-12

VIC’s Future After Community Consultation

www.armidale.nsw.gov.au

Awarded ADC

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The Heritage Tour bus parked by the Armidale Visitor Information Centre. After community consultation, the VIC will remain in its current location.

Road users should be patient and take care as road-works continue after extensive rain.

Last November, the Armidale Dumaresq local gov-ernment area was declared a Natural Disaster area following heavy rains. Since then the region has been drenched several times this wet summer.

The deluge has damaged local and state roads. Road closures to the Pacific Highway, the Newell Highway and Gwydir Highways means the New England area has had to endure an increase in traffic diverted from these road closures. Damage sustained to the area from Tamworth to Glen Innes has severely degraded roads infrastructure maintained by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) (formerly the RTA).

Armidale Dumaresq Council (ADC) and the RMS request that road users take care and be patient as crews con-tinue to make repairs.

The arduous task of inspecting all ADC’s local urban and rural roads for flood damage has recently been completed. There has been much damage to rural grav-el roads, with many washouts creating large ruts and potholes. Council engineering road maintenance staff have undertaken emergency repairs to make roads safe as quickly as possible. Now the time-consuming work of more substantial restoration work and repairs is underway.

Council’s Director of Engineering and Works, Mr David Steller, says that the current damage repair estimate is costly.

“With Armidale receiving three times its monthly aver-age rainfall in two to three days during November, the

damage has been extensive,” said Mr Steller.

“The June 2011 flood damage claim was estimated at $634,000. As of February $456,000 has been approved and restoration works will begin.”

“Transport Operations staff are working rostered days off and Saturdays to try and complete restora-tion works as quickly as possible. There is at least six

months work before we get back to a normal mainte-nance routine,” said Mr Steller.

For further information on road closures go to http://livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au/desktop.html.

Please remember never to drive through flooded cause-ways.

Natural Disaster Cleanup

Springcamp Road in the Enmore area is just one example of the recent damage to many local roads. Armidale Dumaresq Council thanks drivers for their patience during repairs.

After a thorough community engagement process, Council has considered public opinion and chosen the future of the Armidale Visitor Information Centre (VIC).

The success of the community engagement brought to the fore the challenges in leaving the VIC in its current location, while improving operation, staffing and devel-opment, all within budgetary constraints.

ADC passed a seven-point resolution, in line with community feedback from two public meetings and a

lodgement of submissions.

1. The VIC will be retained in its current location with one staff member on duty supported by volun-teers;

2. A strategy will be developed to increase volunteer numbers, develop a training plan and provide a uniform;

3. Council will call for expressions of interest for the leasing of an area of the centre for a cafe;

4. Local products and other merchandise will be on display with online ordering facilities;

5. Management will prepare a report and recommen-dation on the operational layout of the building and refurbishment of the centre in consultation with Council’s Tourism Committee and volunteers;

6. Council will support the use of an online book-ing facility, with smaller operators contact details being listed on the tourism website next to the online booking link; and

7. Management will prepare a report on the use of satellite technology/information kiosk at the airport.

The plan includes refurbishment of the centre, with training and uniforms provided for volunteers. Costs to cover this plan are expected to come from lease pay-ments from the cafe and labour savings.

ADC staff and Councillors proudly showing three awards for the Evocities campaign. (L-R) Cr Herman Beyersdorf, Kevin Abey, Cr Peter Ducat, Tony Broomfield, and Cr Paul Harmer.

ADC is proud to announce awards won by Council and its partners this summer.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISMEvocities and specialist communications consultancy SHJ are now recognised at a state, national and inter-national level with three awards – the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) NSW State Award for Excellence; the PRIA Gold Target Award (national); and the International Association of Business Communica-tors (IABC) Gold Quill Award.

The Evocities concept was created by the seven councils involved nearly six years ago. ADC’s

Summer 2011-12The Council Quarterly2

ADC is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2012 Armidale Australia Day awards.

Congratulations to the following winners of Australia Day awards:• Citizen of the Year – Bernie Shakeshaft• Young Citizen of the Year – Peter Cameron• Senior Citizen of the Year – Poh Woodland• Community Services Award – Pam Menzies• Community Services for an Organisation – Comput-

er Bank New England (Presided by Rob Patterson)• Sports Award for an Individual – Grant Uphill• Sports Award for a Group or Organisation – Ar-

midale District Cricket Association (Presided by Michael Porter)

• Sports and Recreation Award for an Individual – Dr Keith Fleming and Jim Tanner

• Sports and Recreation Award for a Group or Or-ganisation – TAS Rugby Carnival (Jason Lincoln, Karen Hutton, Steve Robinson, Jamie Moore and Austin Rummery)

• Cultural Award for an Organisation – St Mary’s Revue

• Contribution to Cultural Activities by an Individual – Barbara Albury

• Contribution to Cultural Activities by a Group or Organisation – The Board of Custodians of the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place (Elva Taylor, Margaret Walford, Fay Griffiths, Lorna Hague and Brian Irving.)

ADC’s Mayor Cr Peter Ducat told those gathered on the day that he is grateful that Australia Day offers the chance for Australians to celebrate in a relaxed family atmosphere, and “show our appreciation for what we have.”

Cr Ducat also congratulated the Australia Day Com-mittee for a great day, and appreciates the services of the Committee’s President Cr Colin Gadd and ADC’s organiser of the day’s events, Alexandra Kentish.

Bernie Shakeshaft and Poh Woodland received the 2012 Citizen and Senior Citizen Australia Day awards.

Various New England Sustainability Strategy (NESS) planning forums, which included Armidale Dumaresq Council (ADC), determined that there is a definite need to go ‘beyond BASIX’ regarding residential develop-ment.

The State Government has a NSW BASIX system for the assessment of energy and water efficiency for new resi-dential building projects.

Adam Blakester, a social change strategist and Executive Director of Starfish Enterprises, has been working with NESS and ADC to go further in efficiency.

“With due respect to all the hard work involved in de-veloping BASIX, there are many who see how unable it is to ensure truly sustainable housing with so many new and poorly designed dwellings readily able to satisfy the BASIX requirements,” said Mr Blakester.

“This has led me to remark on many occasions that the scheme is unfortunately very appropriately named, as it is indeed very BASIX!

“All of which is to underscore the importance and value of work being led by ADC, particularly Steve Gow, to iden-tify strategies for sustainability in housing as part of the review of the BASIX scheme,” said Mr Blakester.

In late 2011, ADC authored and conducted a survey on the NSW BASIX system. The survey was distributed to all Councils in NSW and happily, 75% responded. Steve Gow, ADC’s Director, Sustainable Planning and Living, revealed that the responses themselves were varied.

“While a small majority (only 55% of respondents) felt that the level of sustainability requirements in BASIX cur-rently were ‘about right’ or ‘too onerous’, there was sup-port for better/clearer integration with national targets, R factor alignment with Australian Standards for climatic zones, incentives to go beyond a simple pass/fail result (e.g. a star rating system), more frequent reviews; as well as plenty of specific issues and ideas,” reported Mr Gow.

“There also appeared to be concern about the level of understanding of what contributes most significantly to BASIX results and apparent poor appreciation of BASIX by home owners. Interestingly there was more support than not from respondents for the Government to consider energy audits of existing homes for sale.”

The results of the survey were sent to the NSW Depart-ment of Planning and Infrastructure which adminis-ters BASIX and is currently undertaking a review of the program. Results were also shared with the NSW Local Government Association.

The local Building Designers Association branch has also expressed an interest in this work and may in turn un-dertake its own review.

The Department of Planning and Infrastructure will progress its official review of BASIX this year. Mr Gow will then inform ADC of relevant developments.

While over half of Councils are happy to settle for BASIX, the Armidale Dumaresq community wants more. Apart from improving sustainability through efficiency, extend-ing BASIX also means financial savings.

Rob Taber, owner of New England Solar Power, knew that he could show higher efficiency would work when he built a house to prove it four years ago.

“We wanted to show that it was possible to build a house that costs nothing to run. The house currently has $3,000 credit in solar energy,” said Mr Taber.

The house is incredibly self-sufficient for heating, even through the cold Armidale winter. In fact last winter, the house ran nearly totally on solar and passive solar heating, needing an electric heater on only a handful of nights.

With attitudes spreading in the building community, it is hoped that residential development will quickly progress beyond BASIX.

“We need to be on the front foot. Individuals, trades-people and customers need to work together,” says Mr Blakester.

The Armidale Dumaresq community may be leading the way in NSW in addressing the trend of building large unaffordable houses too costly to run and maintain, and retrofitting existing houses with improved systems such as passive heating and cooling. ADC’s push to raise awareness and go beyond BASIX may encourage all coun-cils and the State Government to make standard building practice more efficient, hopefully, in the nearest future.

(L-R) Adam Blakester, ADC’s Sandy Scott, Rob Taber of New England Solar Power, ADC’s Matt Rees, and owner/builder Charlie Winter. After experiencing efficiency savings by living in Mr Taber’s house, Mr Winter has nearly completed his own energy efficient home, seen in the background.

Beyond BASIXAustralia Day 2012

Manager - Economic Development, Tourism & Market-ing, Kevin Abey, has been working with each Council and marketing and PR agencies to develop the cam-paign, which was launched in September 2010.

“It has been great to be able to help bring the concept to life so successfully and see the campaign bear fruit,” said Mr Abey, referring to the families that have been inspired by the campaign and have subse-quently moved to Armidale.

BIODIVERSITY‘The Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards 2012 , Wildlife Corridors and Habitats Conservation Award to Northern Tablelands for High Country Urban Biodiversity (HiCUB) Award in the Category of popu-

lation 25,000+’ is the legend on the beautiful plaque which was accepted at Lithgow by Phil Wheaton from Armidale Bowling Club. This achievement congratulates successful col-laboration between State Government, Councils and community groups to build the engagement of the urban community with their local biodiversity. The continuation of this work can be seen thriving at the Phil Wheaton Oval. More congratulations go to Mr Wheaton and the Armidale City Bowling Club who also received the Water Conservation award from Tidy Towns. Another ADC win for biodiversity was marked with an award in recognition for Council’s con-tribution to outstanding business sustainability achievements, through the NSW Government’s Sus-tainability Advantage Program. The Local Government and Shires Association of

NSW completed a hat trick in biodiversity awards by giving the Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement: On-Ground Works Award for the HiCUB Project to ADC together with the other participating councils and Southern New England Landcare.

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(L-R) Phil Wheaton, David Cuskeny, Shane Burns, Terry Ogilvie, Patrick Crick, Greg Preston, Richie Clutterbuck and Peter Doyle representing a fine community effort to win one of the Tidy Towns Awards.

Summer 2011-12The Council Quarterly3

The Armidale Youth Council wants YOU!

Do you ever feel like there is NOTHING to do in Armidale?Do you have good ideas about what to offer young people?

Are you prepared to help make things happen?

Nominations are now open to participate in the Armidale Youth Council.

If you would like more information you can go to www.armidale.nsw.gov.au.

Go to COMMUNITY and then to YOUTH orEmail Sally on sschofield@armidale.nsw.gov.au or

send a text to 0407 061 407.

Remember to mention your name and that you are interested in more information about the Youth Council!

Improved Pre-DA Checks

Cricket for Reconcilliation

New Way of Waste

Armidale Dumaresq Council (ADC) is pleased to have sponsored the 10th anniversary ‘Mayor’s Cup’ recon-ciliation cricket match.

The match was between the Mayor Cr Peter Ducat’s side and a local Aboriginal team. All players represent-ed the Armidale Cricket Association. The match took place on 10 January, 2012, after it was washed out in December. The event was rescheduled to coincide with the annual Walter Taylor Memorial Shield.

Cricketers, their supporters and families combined to ensure friendly rivalry between the Mayor’s side and the Aboriginal side, as has been the case for the past 10 years.

The crowd is estimated at over 500 people. They witnessed a top display of cricket and applauded the efforts of both sides vying to have their team’s name inscribed on the Mayor’s Cup. The Mayor’s side won on the day, and the community has also won. Cr Ducat was pleased by the turnout.

“It draws out the best in sportsmanship and reconcili-ation, both in the players and in our community,” he said.

Steve Widders, ADC’s Aboriginal Liaison Officer, enjoyed

the day.

“This event does much for breaking down barriers and building bridges, whilst fostering friendship in our local community.”

This annual event is supported by the local branch of Australians for Native Title And Reconciliation (ANTAR), whose members were represented at the match.

The Cup, donated by Central’s Club, is in honour of Deb Walford, an Aboriginal woman who played in the men’s competition for many years. Deb passed away in 2009 and her club offered the “Man of the Match” trophy in her honour.

Will Green is an Aboriginal cricketer who was one of the initiators of this event.

“This match is played in the spirit of goodwill and friendship and is an event which has broken down bar-riers and built many bridges in the community,” said Mr Green.

“The 10th year reflects both Council’s and the Armidale Cricket Association’s commitment to good community relations.”

(L-R) Mike Porter – President of the Armidale District Cricket Association; Steve Widders – ADC Aboriginal Liai-son Officer; Cameron Munday – captain of the Aboriginal team; Brad King – captain of the Mayor’s Eleven team, and Mayor Cr Peter Ducat.

ADC has awarded a new waste collection contract to Cleanaway, part of the Transpacific Industries Group.

The new waste collection contract commenced in February and will run for eight years with a possible extension of another two years.

Cleanaway will be using new, state-of-the-art Den-nis Eagle garbage trucks, specially imported from the United Kingdom. The compaction backs for these trucks have been fabricated in Australia.

The three new trucks have many features to make the job more efficient, safe, environmentally friendly and technologically advanced. These features include:• GPS monitors to record when the trucks are at a

particular location;

• A 4 way colour camera system covering both navi-gation and rubbish contamination issues;

• Low entry ergonomic design and large windows for superior visibility;

• A joy-stick and camera system in the truck’s cabin to comfortably operate the one-man sidearm that collects the bins;

• A clever computer system that detects if bins are too heavy - residents need to be aware of the 70kg bin limit.

Additionally, the trucks have improved fuel efficiency and a system to remove contaminants from the ex-haust. Roads and Maritime Services (formerly the RTA) has given the vehicles Greenfleet accreditation.

With this new contract, ADC will be entering an excit-ing era as it continues to implement the recent City to Soil initiative, now all throughout the city. Take note that households sorting waste correctly may be in the running for a City to Soil prize hamper!

Mike Brooks (ADC’s Senior Engineer Utili-ties), Stuart Carsley (Cleanaway), David Steller (ADC’s Director of Engineering and Works), and Michael Porter (ADC’s Process Control Superintendent, Waste Management) with a new Dennis Eagle garbage truck.

If you are putting together a Development Application (DA) with the planners at ADC, you will notice some changes for the better.

Planners at Council have introduced some simple changes to how they record data and interact with applicants for development.

“This has resulted in staff completing pre-application advice quicker, and all round better communication,” said Steve Gow, Council’s Director of Planning and Environmental Services.

“The first quarter results for this financial year show that median processing times for DAs since July are nine days less than last year. Last year the median time for a DA was 43 days, and early this year it was 34 days. This improvement is a great result for Council and applicants,” said Mr Gow.

Changes associated with this initiative include the utilisation of a meeting room rather than the front counter to discuss Development Applications; reorienting the meeting room so that planners are able to show applicants the GIS mapping for their property; the ability to show the location of planning information on Council’s website.

Improved productivity, associated with this initiative alone, has been equated to over $7,500 per year and this is just one relatively small part of an overall program of productivity improvements across Council valued at $2.2 million to date.

“Sitting down with applicants and looking at GIS maps of zoning and land use constraints supports a better understanding of the property under consideration and the issues regarding planning decisions,” said Mr Gow.

The new system also allows planners to enter all the required information into Council’s automated record-keeping system while talking with the applicant.

The planners have further improvements up their sleeves, so keep an eye out for these.

www.armidale.nsw.gov.au

Summer 2011-12The Council Quarterly4

ADC has 237 full-time equivalent employees fulfilling a wide variety of roles. To familiarise the community with some lesser-known aspects of what Council does, a spotlight will provide some insight.

Mark Byrne has worked at Council for nearly 15 years and has been the Utilities Technical Officer for the last two.

What does the Utilities Technical Officer do in day-to-day work?I collect data from the utilities field staff (water, sewerage, drainage). I then take these asset reports to create maintenance programmes. I also use that information for asset management, reporting and capital works programs. These may be put out to tender. I also provide technical advice on utilities infrastructure to internal and external customers.

How does your role encompass the City to Soil initiative?I am the team leader of the City to Soil project and I am the main contact to the public. Anyone with questions or feedback about the project can contact me.

Are there other new projects you manage?I am also the contact for the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout. So I go out in the field to identify Council assets and liaise with NBN Co before they build their infrastructure.

Community members may contact Mark Byrne on (02) 6770 3893 or mbyrne@armidale.nsw.gov.au for information about City to Soil.

Mark Byrne, ADC’s Utilities Technical Officer.

Access Awards Dinner DanceIn December, Armidale Dumaresq Council (ADC) and the Access Advisory Committee held the 2011 “Don’t DIS my Ability” dinner dance and Access Award presentation evening in conjunction with the annual celebration of International Day of People with Disability.

Over one hundred people thoroughly enjoying a beach party themed evening of celebration, friendship and social integration.

Peta Light, Access Advisory Committee Representative, ADC’s General Manager Shane Burns and Chris Lloyd receiving the Business Category Award on behalf of Trent Pohlmann from Mary Wright College.

Staff Spotlight

The event was officially opened by Hon. Richard Torbay MP with Mayor Cr Peter Ducat, ADC’s General Manager Shane Burns. Peta Light presented the awards and Elizabeth Ellis was the emcee.

The Awards are held annually to raise awareness of the benefits of improved access to wheelchair users, mobility scooters, and people with visual impairments, limited mobility or intellectual disability, people with mental health conditions, people with young children and senior citizens.

Local Business and Community Service organisations were assessed in five categories: physical access; manner and attitude of staff; product knowledge; freedom of movement; and extra services.

Mary White College received the Business Trophy and the Community Services trophy was awarded to Home and Community Care Service, Care for Seniors Inc.

Other awards presented during the evening included the Highly Commended Certificate to Donut King in Centro Plaza, Business Award for Excellence to Armidale City Bowling Club and Award for Excellence in Community Service Certificate to Marilyn Pearson from The Home Nursing Group.

Project Officer Suzanne Sills would like to acknowledge support and financial assistance from the Armidale Ex Serviceman’s Club, Arts Accessible Country Arts Program and especially ADC for their continued dedication and commitment to the aged and people with a disability in the Armidale community.

Councillors iPadded

Councillors Beyersdorf, Gadd (above), Harmer and Kelly (below) have been issued ADC iPads. The machines mean printed paper savings and more connectivity. All Councillors use them frequently and Cr Harmer says he doesn’t need to see Council documents in print anymore.

ADC is sorry to see the end of a great working arrange-ment with Nicole O’Malley-Jones of the Community Catering Team.

With her husband Steve, Ms O’Malley-Jones has not only provided fantastic food for various functions over many

Thanks For Everything

(L-R) Rene Dasey, Shane Burns, Steve and Nicole O’Malley-Jones with their children Angus and Lily, Andrew Strudwick and Mike Riorden at the popular caterer’s farewell party. Nicole’s efforts to teach skills to the young unemployed in our community will be missed.

years, but she has also men-tored plenty of young unem-ployed in the world of catering.

The relationship began through the Job Link Plus employment agency, with the Work for the Dole catering team commenc-ing operations, under agree-ment in the Town Hall kitchen facilities, in 2002 until 2007.

In 2007, Best Employment took over the program with the Katering Krew until 2009. Jobs Australia continued the pro-gram from 2009 until 2011 with

the Community Catering Team.

Nicole O’Malley-Jones was instrumental in the program from its conception. ADC’s Property Officer Andrew Strudwick admires her energy.

“Nicole hit the Town Hall like a ship under full sail and

proceeded to instil discipline, order and a mother’s love to the participants of the program. Nicole also became an ambassador for Council and lost no opportunity in telling people how the program, with the support of Council, was helping her participants gain self-confi-dence and a purpose,” said Mr Strudwick.

“Nicole’s various teams over the years catered for many functions for Council, providing nutritious and well pre-sented meals and finger foods. This gave the participants a wide variety of experience in food preparation, hygiene and presentation.

“If she was in the Hall working, she would also pounce on anyone who stuck their head in to look and promote the Hall as a venue for their next function. She provided a lot of advice on equipment the kitchen should have and many dollars were saved by Nicole phoning up and saying there was a sale in progress and to ‘get down there quick’.”

Apart from a couple of breaks, Ms O’Malley-Jones was a vibrant and valuable member of our community. ADC wishes her the best of luck in her new life in Queensland.