DEAR News Of The Area,

I APPLAUD former Councillor Pryce for his decision to resign from Council on principle, however it is disappointing that a Councillor should have to resign because he aligns himself with the ratepayers, families and community rather than the Mayor’s chosen agenda… the Jetty Foreshore matter.

Having read the article announcing Councillor Pryce’s resignation in NOTA, while having a bit of lunch in Bellingen, I then wandered along the shops.

Low and behold pasted on walls in a couple of places was a clipping from NOTA of a letter I wrote to the Editor (and the Council) headed ‘What Do Ratepayers Want From Councils’.

That letter sent to Council included links to studies and surveys of Australian ratepayers clearly indicating that ratepayers are not interested in funding agendas.

The resignation article and my Letter To The Editor collided head on with Local Government in Agendaland.

This Council, rather than taking care of the business they are elected and paid to do (cut the grass, fix the roads, pick-up the rubbish, maintain our assets and generally provide the services and information they are gazetted to provide), are off spending ratepayers money on pie in the sky issues they can neither afford or manage.

The Mayor’s two sentence response to my letter was very telling… thanks but no thanks, we know how to spend your money.

Yes the Jetty Foreshore is an issue that the community should have input into, but as a show of support for the Mayor’s agenda, 1.2 percent of the population of the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area showed up at the big Jetty Foreshore Rally on Sunday.

The next big “rally” is the Local Government election coming up in September and I suggest that we use this opportunity to vote out all incumbents and to make sure that the new incoming Councillors agendas, like Mr Pryce’s, are ratepayers, families and community.

The current Councillors and Mayor can continue their agenda war, which is their right, but not with our money.

Regards,
Robert CRAIN,
Toormina.