Latest Update - June 17, 2010

Hi all, well it's been a while coming, but Mayor John Shaw has emailed and confirmed the following:
"Tip charges are set at the Management Plan stage and they are the same for everyone in the shire wether you are a land holder, paying the Rural Waste charge, or living in town with a Domestic Waste charge. There are also tip charges which are standard across the Shire. It was mentioned at the meeting that we would discuss the tip with Palerang Council to come to some arrangement for their ratepayers who may use the Collector tip. What I am saying is that tip charges, as far as I'm concerned, should be the same for the whole Shire"
John Shaw, 15 June 2010

Hopefully, the translation for this is that there will be no unusual fee-rise (such as for a new Waste Transfer Station construction!) So hopefully, that's all you should be hearing from me on the Collector tip (I can hear you saying "Thank goodness!" from here! ;-))

Latest Update - Saturday June 5, 2010

I am still trying to get council to put in writing that Collector residents will not be required to contribute (through a raise in waste fees) to the construction of the new Collector waste transfer station. Unfortunately, if statements made by councillors at council meetings are not entered into the minutes, they may not be upheld. Watch this space for the outcome...

Latest Update - Wednesday June 2, 2010

Finally - it's official!

"The timetable for construction of the transfer station has not been determined, however the existing landfill/tip is to remain open as normal for up to twelve months until the new transfer station facility is built at the same location" - Upper Lachlan Shire Council release regarding the Collector Tip, 1 June 2010

You can read the entire official Upper Lachlan Shire Council release regarding the Collector Tip here

Additional reading:

Upper Lachlan Shire Council May 2010 meeting minutes (that refer to the Collector Tip)

Crookwell Gazette news article - Collector tip closure delayed

Latest Update - Tuesday 1 June, 2010

Hi all, well all is fine. Phil Newham (sorry Phil, got your name right finally) confirmed the tip closure signs will come down and the tip will remain open until the waste transfer station is in place (as per the May ULSC meeting - May 2010 meeting minutes are now available here). Phil explained that the wrong information was given out on the weekend due to some staff communication problems, but now all is being sorted out. Apologies to all that were worried the old plan was once-again going ahead - it's not - the tip is open until the waste transfer station goes in. One slight problem in the May meeting minutes is the implication that rural waste fees will rise, but as I mentioned before, Mayor Shaw made a special point at the meeting that Collector residents would not have a rural waste fee rise to help pay for the transfer station construction. I'll post all documents asap on our new website - coming very soon!

Latest Update - Monday 31 May, 2010

Hi all, no real news, sorry. I did speak with Phil (Silverman?), council staff, today who told me that nothing had changed re plans for the Collector tip since the council meeting. That said, he would not confirm anything until he had read the minutes - still waiting for a further response. Minutes are still not publicly available

Latest Update - Sunday 30 May, 2010

Thanks to a suggestion from a local today (thanks, you know who you are!) I took a drive over to the Collector tip where make-shift signs are in place proclaiming the tip WILL close on 27 June 2010. In the words of Monty Python, "don't panic!". I had a lengthy chat with the council employee/s there, and I'll attempt to get to the bottom of what is going on tomorrow :).

Latest Update - Thursday 20 May, 2010
ULSC Meeting Report

Hi all, I'm just back from Crookwell, where things went fairly well at the ULS Council meeting today. Council all agreed on the recommendation that the Collector tip stay open until a suitable alternative (small waste transfer station being the preferred option by Council) is sourced.

Therefore, Collector tip now won't be closing on the 27th of June 2010, and will only close when another waste disposal method is in place.

Council plan to carry out this new waste disposal (concurrent) change-over plan over the next (2010-11) financial year. Council said that the proposed waste transfer centre should have the same access times/days the tip had, and be in the same location.

During discussions, an important point was made by Mayor John Shaw - ULSC residents rural waste fees WOULD NOT be increased as a direct result of the construction of a waste transfer station (I'm unsure if that statement was included in the meeting minutes - I don't believe so).

The reason given for this "change in direction" (I think was the terminology used by Peter Mowle - Works, ULSC), was the strong community resistance to the planned close-down. Councilors passed around ALL petitions, including the online one with comments, and the extra one I received this morning (thank you!). Each was viewed by the Councilors -

approximately 185 signatures from the Collector community

Only one councilor questioned the cost of the proposed small waste transfer station in Collector. Peter Mowle (Works, ULSC) answered that it would cost around $15,000 per year to run instead of the $30,000 continuing to operate the tip was going to cost them (earthworks, etc). ULSC discussions are to take place with Palerang council in order to discuss future funding of the proposed small waste transfer station.

Mayor John Shaw put forward that Council had always intended to offer another waste option to the Collector community, however this somehow translated to no further options being printed in Council publications. No explanation was volunteered by Council staff for this remarkable miscommunication.

In Addition - there was more Collector news at the meeting concerning Collector Bridge, with the recommendation that the bridge be closed down and demolished in the next month. One further water flow (consultant) study is to take place before a proposed low concrete culvert is installed (taking approximately three to four months). Cause for concern? Stay tuned!

Latest Update #2 - Wednesday 19 May, 2010

Online petition is now closed for submission to the Council meeting tomorrow - to view the signatures and very interesting comments (emails are given but not published, therefore comments are worth reading), you can view them here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/collectorgarbagedepot/signatures

Latest Update - Wednesday 19 May, 2010

Hi all,
The ULSC Business papers for the council general meeting tomorrow at Crookwell have been released. They basically say that they are recommending a small waste transfer station (for when the tip closes - no date defined, now, although it's probably wise to note that the 27 June date has NOT been withdrawn yet). Apparently Taralga have one in place already. The bad news is that they are recommending a raise in waste management fees (that's right, ANOTHER rise) to help pay for it's "construction". I wonder if the fees will then be reduced back down? I also wonder how Taralga rate payers were charged for theirs, if at all? Interestingly, council didn't seem to be aware (until informed by Collector residents?) that the Palerang Council pay council over $7,000 a year for their shire tip users.
Also, in the same document, you can read about how the historical Collector Bridge is going to be demolished by 30 June 2010 and the bridge site is going to be CLOSED FOR THREE MONTHS (that perhaps will polish off any remaining businesses in town?). According to the same document, Council are currently replacing three other wooden bridges in our council shire as part of a wooden bridge program. There are also some major concerns re how changing a flood system that has been working for over one hundred years is going to cope with this new "in the water" concrete culvert obstruction. Has Collector been short-changed yet again? You be the judge... you can read the Council report for yourself here:

http://upperlachlan.local-e.nsw.gov.au/files/17619/File/WorksandOperations.pdf

To read this document you may need to download the latest Adobe PDF Reader

Latest Update - Thursday 14 May, 2010

Well done Collector!

To read the latest council communication that includes this line...

"You can rest assured that the tip will not close before an alternative is provided and continuity of service maintained"

Click on any of the big U-TURN pictures! ;)

To go from this:

"Collector tip users (will) have the alternative of using facilities accessible in Gunning, Goulburn and surrounding areas" - The Voice, April 2010

To this:

"the tip will not close before an alternative is provided and continuity of service maintained" - Luke Moloney, Upper Lachlan Shire Council email, 13 May 2010

is a great result by the Collector community!

Earlier this week I (registered) mailed the Collector rubbish tip closure petitions to the Upper Lachlan Shire Council - the petitions contained

157 signatures

of Collector and surrounds residents (approximately two-thirds of all Collector residents) in protest at the closure of the Collector rubbish tip. They should have received them this morning :)

157 signatures in only a couple of weeks is an amazing effort by the Collector residents and surrounds - that's approximately TWO THIRDS of the local population!
Not to mention those who went the extra mile and sent in letters - it all obviously made an impact...

I also received a letter from Katrina Hodgkinson, MP who assured me that she has made representations to the ULSC General Manager John Bell on my behalf regarding the Collector tip closure :)

This afternoon I received an email from council which promised "the tip will not close before an alternative is provided and continuity of service maintained" :))

I will still be attending the council meeting next Thursday 20 May 2010 just to make sure that the council don't accidentally stray from their promise of an alternative waste transfer/management station ;)
Here are the meeting details , as specified on the Upper Lachlan Council website:
The next Council Meeting will be held at Crookwell on Thursday 20th May 2010 commencing at 9.00am Members of the public are welcome to attend

Fun Quiz!

Which two different councils maintain these two vastly different town entrances?
(Collector & Breadalbane entrances, either end of Breadalbane Rd) Answer - It's the same council - no - really - it is!
It's the Upper Lachalan Shire Council!

Latest Update - Thursday April 29, 2010

Well done all that turned up to the council meeting tonight. The council were on the defensive (of course), with many Collector and surrounds residents attending and speaking their minds about the tip closure (and a few other issues!). The main thing is, they firmly got the message that the town won't take the closure lying down. By the end of the meeting the council did at least say that the tip decision was "open to community consultation", which means that if we continue to push, we might get the result we want. The council agreed that the issue would be brought up for discussion at the next council meeting, which is a step in the right direction. I will be there to present our petitions, not to mention be a fly on the wall and give encouragement in Collectors direction, as necessary ;) It would be great if others could also attend. Here are the meeting details , as specified on the Upper Lachlan Council website:
The next Council Meeting will be held at Crookwell on Thursday 20th May 2010 commencing at 9.00am Members of the public are welcome to attend

Oh, and by the way, they're going to rip out our historic wooden bridge, and replace it with concrete box culverts...but that's another issue!

News Update, 29 April 2010

REMINDER -

MEETING TONIGHT!

The Upper Lachlan 2030 Community Strategic Plan Community Workshop - this meeting is coming to us (!) on Thursday April 29, 2010 at 7pm in Collector Hall. This is a great opportunity for us all to turn out in force! Corner a council representative and express your concerns about the tip closing - it's not strictly part of their agenda, however we would still like the Collector Rubbish Tip to be around in 2030, right? We may as well start planning for it now!

News Update 27 April 2010

Dear Collector & Surrounds Residents,

Thank you for signing the Collector Garbage Depot Closure Protest Petition to support the campaign to keep the Collector rubbish tip open.

Please forward the online petition to any Collector and surrounds residents that you know of, and also consider taking some of the steps below to help stop the Collector Tip closure - time is running out, and with such short Council notice I intend to present our petition/s at the next Upper Lachlan Shire Council (ULSC) Meeting at Crookwell on Thursday 20th May 2010.

Campaign Update

• The Upper Lachlan 2030 Community Strategic Plan Community Workshop - this meeting is coming to us (!) on Thursday April 29, 2010 at 7pm in Collector Hall. This is a great opportunity for us all to turn out in force! Corner a council representative and express your concerns about the tip closing - it's not strictly part of their agenda, however we would still like the Collector Rubbish Tip to be around in 2030, right? We may as well start planning for it now!
• The online Collector Garbage Depot Closure Protest Petition was created on 14 April 2010, and can be accessed here. (This petition is useful, in that you can leave a personal comment with how the closure will affect you). It will be printed out on 18 May, 2010 for delivery to the ULSC Meeting on 20 May 2010.
• I have sent off emails to the Council, our local MP Alby Schultz and the Goulburn Post. Hopefully some or all will agree to meet me to discuss the tip closure. I urge you to do the same by following the Take-Action Easy-Guide below.
• I have unsuccessfully tried to speak with an ULSC representative directly to see where Collector residents stood, with regards to heading-off the tip closure. I initially contacted the Council on Tuesday, 20th 2010 and asked to speak with someone regarding the closure. I was told that my request had been "put into the system" and that I would "definitely" hear back from someone by the end of the week (a four days response-rate). To date, I have not heard from anyone at the ULSC.
• I have produced and distributed several hard-copies of the petition to Collector businesses. There are currently petition hard-copies located at:
  
  

  The Bushranger Hotel
  The Collector Gallery
  The Collector Shop
  The Daily Pie

  Thanks to these businesses for supporting the Collector Tip campaign!
  You can download a printable hard-copy of the petition here, or email me to obtain one.
  All petitions will be collected prior to the next Council meeting (20 May 2010)

Some background on the Collector Tip Closure proposal...

In the last week, The ULSC April 2010 issue of "The Voice" newspaper (delivered to Collector letterboxes) has briefly laid-out Councils motivation to close the Collector Tip. Reasoning includes the tip "nearing the end of its useable life" and "proven to have relatively low local resident usage" as well as "indications of a substantial level of usage coming from adjoining Council area residents". In addition, that the tip costs too much to run and there are no "cost effective alternatives" (page 8, Works Update). In addition, there is an official notification of the closure being a small paragraph (Page 4), that also mentions that the sum of $125.000 (funded by the increase in rural waste charge in part) that will be spent to restore the tip site after closure.

With these official explanations in mind, the ULSC's stance in this matter could be interpreted as:

• Collector residents don't really use the tip much
• adjoining Council residents are using it more than ULC residents - therefore they don't matter as much
• the tip doesn't self-support, and so the Council are required to subsidise it
• it's not possible to find an alternative site (after the tip reaches capacity) that isn't going to cost the Council ongoing subsidies
• $125,000, partly funded by the Rural Waste Charge will go, not towards improving our town waste management locally, but to closing it down

They go on to dismissively mention that (after the tip closure) Collector residents can take their tip rubbish to another towns rubbish service, such as:
- Gunning - half an hour of rough dirt road from Collector
- Macs Reef Road - half an hour away from Collector
- Goulburn - half an hour away from Collector, and in another Council's jurisdiction (apparently it's acceptable if ULSC residents patronise other Councils tips)

In addition, and as a happy knock-on effect for Gunning residents, there will be three extra Gunning tip opening times to help handle the increased demand from the displaced Collector residents.

But what can I do? You can do PLENTY!

Take Action Easy-Guide

Despite Councils presumptuous "done deal", it is not over until it's over! I urge ALL of you to join me in one, or all, of the following ways in a solid bid to stop the tip closure:

You will also find here letter templates from my own original letters that you are welcome to view for ideas, or simply to copy, unchanged or otherwise. It doesn't matter if the content is similar or the same, rather that it is acknowledged that the Collector community feel strongly enough about this issue to email or send a letter.

1. Email or write a direct letter of complaint to the Upper Lachlan Shire Council - let them know that you use the tip, and would miss it if it were gone - suggest acceptable alternatives, such as a non-attended tip as Collector once was - low cost to Council, and identical to Tuena's current tip. The ULSC can be emailed at council@upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au and their website and contact addresses are located at http://upperlachlan.local-e.nsw.gov.au
   You can find an example letter which you can edit to suit your situation here
2. Email or write to our local MP for Burrinjuck, Katrina Hodgkinson - ask her to represent you and help take action - that's what she is there for! Katrina can be emailed at burrinjuck@parliament.nsw.gov.au and her website and contact addresses are located at http://www.burrinjuck.com/contact.htm
   You can find an example letter which you can edit to suit your situation here
3. Email or write to the Goulburn Post - let's let the local area know how our Council is taking advantage of our small numbers, and so persuade Council to take more notice of our wishes! Letters to the Editor can be emailed here: http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/feedback.aspx?data_id=1356 and the Goulburn Post website and contact addresses are located at http://upperlachlan.local-e.nsw.gov.au
   You can find an example letter which you can edit to suit your situation here
4. Leave your comment on the online petition located here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/collectorgarbagedepot/ (Let me know if you've also signed the hard-copy and we'll strike it out to avoid doubling up)

We have limited time to do this - please, DON'T sit back on your heels and think everyone else will do it - our numbers are too small for that. We need EVERYONE to take action in some form - so get writing!