Yass Valley Council Mayor Jasmin Jones and CEO Gayleen Burley.
Following the recent August Council Meeting, Yass Valley Council CEO, Gayleen Burley and Mayor Jasmin Jones took to social media to provide a round up on everything that was discussed.
The meeting, Mayor Jones said, has come out with some great results for the community.
The first agenda discussed was the Tree Management Strategy, which was passed.
The Strategy was placed on public exhibition and will be accessible until 4.00pm on Monday, 21 September. Details within the document discuss how Council will maintain trees located on Council owned and managed land – including nature strips, road reserves, open spaces and recreation facilities.
“This is a really comprehensive document that’s been developed,” said Ms Burley.
“We encourage our community members to jump on to Your Voice Counts and make a submission; what you like, what you don’t like.”
Council celebrated their success in meeting the state benchmark for processing DA applications.
“The goal posts changed and we now need to get to 90, and that was achieved,” said Mayor Jones.
This time last year, Ms Burley said it took 169 days to process a DA application.
“We are down to 90 days, which is remarkable. Well done staff,” she said.
Council also recently celebrated their recent success in getting a Get Active NSW Grant, which has been selected to spend $2.6 million on footpaths in Yass and Murrumbateman.
Mayor Jones called this a “great win for the community”.
“A big shout out to the students at Murrumbateman Public School who were very active in their advocacy,” she said.
Murrumbateman Public School formerly put through a petition from the students and Ms Burley said is great to show that their voice both counted and mattered for the success.
In other good news, Mayor Jones spoke of some recent funding shortfall for the Yass Netball players that will be taken care of by Council.
“We will support that project with some funding from our electricity savings generation reserve,” said Mayor Jones.
“A big shout out to the Yass Valley Netball Association,” said Ms Burley.
“They did a wonderful job in receiving significant grant funds, [and] we’ve been able to match a bit of a shortfall.
“We will be able to get that project completed ASAP.”
A primary discussion during the meeting was to support a redevelopment of the Yass police station, which was brought forward by Mayor Jones in her Mayoral Minute.
“We will be taking [this] as part of our advocacy package to the State Government to say ‘this is a very vital project for our community, it’s not fit for purpose anymore, and it’s time it was renewed,” said Mayor Jones.
“We really want to support our police force here in the Yass Valley,” said Ms Burley.
“They do a wonderful job and they support Council’s efforts on a number of fronts, so it’s great to add them to the list.”
Council is also seeking community support for their Australia Day committee to work alongside a Yass Valley Councillor and the Mayor ahead of next year’s events.
For a more comprehensive wrap up of the meeting, visit yassvalley.nsw.gov.au.
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