Straight from the Mayor’s Mouth with Mathew Dickerson from Dubbo Regional Council

New Name for This Podcast Starting From This Week. "Straight From the Mayor’s Mouth." EnergyCo Board Met in Dubbo and Heard the Pitch for a REAC at Bodangora. Met With Infrastructure NSW to Assist in the NSW Government Strategic Infrastructure Review Led by Ken Kanofski. Attended the Regular Meeting of Country Mayors During the Week to Hear From Various Members of Government and Discuss a Variety of Issues. Attended a Meeting of the Coalition of Regional Energy Mayors (CoREM) to Discuss Opportunities and Impacts of the Renewable Energy Zones. The Council Meeting on Thursday Night Started Off With a Passionate and, at Times Boisterous, Public Forum Session. Council Resolved to Support the Three Bowls Clubs in Dubbo to Bring the Bowls NSW State Championships to Dubbo. Council Resolved to Send Letters Off to the Government Opposing the Location of the Drug Rehab Facility. Council Resolved to Request Government Agencies to Develop a Community Safety Strategy and Associated Action Plan. Council Resolved to Adopt the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal Determinations for Councillor and Mayoral Fees. Limerick of the Week.

Controversy Surrounding the Macquarie Lions Park Amenities Block Being Demolished. Road Works to Start on Wheelers Lane. Additional Costs Associated With the Emergency Services Levy. Highlights From the Latest Meeting of the Alliance of Western Councils. North West Urban Release Area Continues to Take Shape. Heritage Plaza Works Continue Slowly. The Governor of NSW Attends the 150th Dubbo Show. ‘Three Days in May’ Book Launched to Commemorate the 150th Dubbo Show. Crime Prevention Strategy Meeting. Submissions for the Swimming Pool Management and the Draft Budget Close Soon. Ten Years for the CATO Vision to Be Realised. Limerick of the Week.

Tony McGrane Scholarship Winner Announced. Regional Cities NSW Road Trip Planned to Lismore and Tweed Heads. John Gilbert Water Treatment Plan Optimisation Study Underway. Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets Planning Workshop Undertaken. Transport for NSW 16 Regional Cities Bus Services Improvement Program. Tender Submitted for NSW Touch Junior State Cup for the Next Three Years. Bowls NSW Looking to Bring State Championships to Dubbo for 2024; 2026 and 2028. Ozfish River Repair Bus Looking for $45,000 Funding From Council. Western Regional Planning Panel Approves $35.7 Million Public Admin Building in Carrington Avenue to House 700 Public Servants Consolidating 24 Existing Government Offices. Limerick of the Week.

Should Dubbo Have a ‘Dusk to Dawn’ Curfew to Curb Crime as Discussed on the Today Show? Westhaven Facilitates the Opening of New Architecturally Designed NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation Villas. Councillors Attend a Workshop to Discuss South Dubbo Bridge Options. Councillors Attend a Workshop to Discuss the Blueridge Link Road and Sheraton Road. Councillors Visit the Whylandra Waste and Recycling Depot. What Was Learned by Joining in the Assertive Outreach Walk Around Dubbo? The DRTCC Hosted the Very First Public Performance of the All-Inclusive Sing Out (Dementia) Choir. Official Opening and Prize Announcements for the Young Archies. Launch of the DREAM Festival for 2023. Limerick of the Week.

Anzac Day Services Across the Dubbo LGA. Council Has Made a Final Decision on Supporting the Macquarie Conservatorium of Music. Council Will Aim to Find Contractors to Manage the Aquatic Leisure Centres. The Draft Budget for 2023/2024 Is Now on Display. A Draft Policy Has Been Approved for Display for Memorial Plaques and Donation of Park Furniture and Trees. Transport for NSW Has Been Asked to Arrange the Repatriation of the Axe Grinding Groove Rock From Wiradjuri Park to Terramungamine Reserve. Organisations Receive Funds From the Financial Assistance Program and Community Services Fund. Tree Removal and Replanting Along Keswick Acoustic Fencing. Applications Invited for Minokamo Sister City Exchange Program. Throughput Numbers for Dubbo Regional Airport. Limerick of the Week.

Over $61K of Cheques Handed Over to Recipients of the Bodangora Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund. Planning Agreement Progressing for the Proposed 700MW Spicers Creek Wind Farm by Squadron Energy. NSW Farmers Invited Dubbo Regional Council to a Local Branch Meeting in Dunedoo to Discuss Renewable Energy Projects. The Latest Land Valuations Have Been Released From the Valuer General Which Will Impact the Amount of Rates You Pay. Final Workshop Held to Discuss the 2023/2024 Council Budget. Met With New Ministers, the Hon. Ron Hoenig MP and the Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP. Latest Meeting of Regional Cities NSW Was Held This Week. Rangers Are Enforcing Dogs on Leads Along the River and in the Villages. Limerick of the Week.

20-year anniversary of a fire in the Council administration building. Potential request for proposal for the contract management of the Aquatic Leisure Centres. Year to Date Building Summary. Half a million dollars potentially on offer to the Macquarie Conservatorium in an interest free loan. Latest Code of Conduct report. Tender for fluoride dosing awarded to TWS Evolution. Update on riverbank erosion near the Tracker Riley Cycleway. Councillors visit Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets and Dubbo Sewage Treatment Plant. A section of Old Mendooran Road closed permanently. LED lights switched on at the Showground. Limerick of the Week.

Easter in Dubbo is a very busy time! We have lots of new Aussies in Dubbo after the latest Citizenship Ceremony. The Yeoval Progress Association had Dubbo Regional Councillors at their latest meeting. The Western Plains Science and Engineering Challenge was held at the Showground. The Gift of Life Baton, the symbol of the World Transplant Games, passed through Dubbo. An update on the appointment of a new Commander for the Orana Mid-Western Police District. An update on embellishing headstones with various personal items. A DA has been lodged for a $150 million medical precinct. The Man from Ironbark Festival is on Easter Saturday each year. Limerick of the Week.

World’s first DNA database to combat littering – or is it just a joke? Should we have a Dubbo version of Monopoly? Students in Year 5 visit the Chamber. Lots of meetings involving the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. What should the Library of tomorrow look like? What happened at the Variety Activate Inclusion Sports Day Event? What can Council do about the increasing number of homeless people in Dubbo? Another workshop was held to discuss the budget for next financial year. Did the Councillor team win any prizes at the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce Golf Day? Limerick of the Week.

Councillors resolved to move the Council Chambers to another location in the Council building. An annual report will now be delivered to the community on the drinking water in the Dubbo LGA. A report has been completed that analyses short-term worker accommodation requirements. The Macquarie Conservatorium of Music needs a new home. Councillors considered changing the airport charging system to include a Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW) charge. The Bodangora Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund has just delivered $61,206.28 to ten community groups. The NSW Aboriginal Lands Council met with the Mayor in relation to the Voice to Parliament. A function was held to welcome to University of Sydney School of Rural Health students to Dubbo. Limerick of the Week.

Why did His Excellency General the Honourable David John Hurley AC DSC (Retd) call the Mayor of Dubbo Regional Council this week? Who is the new VRA Commissioner and why was he in Dubbo? Why did the Councillors tour Jinchilla Gardens and how many of the Councillors can now play the didgeridoo? Why did ‘Boys to the Bush’ visit Council? Waste2Art is now officially opened. The Mayor is putting on leathers and riding a motorbike to support what cause? The Macquarie River Master Plan will be considered at the Council meeting this week. Potential new airport charges will be debated at Council this week. Limerick of the Week.

Is Council about to move the Council Chambers to another location? Does the latest building summary show an improvement in the number of applications being approved by Council? With the Rural Fire Service called in to action this week, how does Council fit in to the big picture? How much did Pioneer Park receiving in flood repair funding? Planning continues for the latest housing precinct in Dubbo. Real Estate Agents will soon be selling blocks of land in Keswick Estate. Councils working together in the CWO Renewable Energy Zone. Mike Tomalaris drops in to Dubbo as part of the Mental Wheels tour. Is the Paul Ramsay Foundation about to have a presence in Dubbo? Limerick of the Week.

What is the future for the Fowler Steam Engine located in Wellington? News from the latest Developers’ Forum. Councillors attend their first workshop to discuss the budget for 2023/2024 financial year. Kumon State Combined Athletics Carnival brings thousands to Dubbo. Wellington Vintage Fair a great success. Macquarie Anglican Grammar School discusses a new podcast. Holi Mela Festival of Colours held on Saturday in Dubbo. Grand re-opening of Breakthru office. Fixing Country Roads announcement for Saxa Road. Met with Year 4 student at Council. World Day of Prayer at St. Brigid’s. Sir Roden Cutler Viewing Platform To Be Demolished. Limerick of the Week.

How many McDonald’s is too many and what is Council doing about it? When will construction start on the Wiradjuri Cultural Tourism Centre? Where is Council going to spend the additional $5 million that it received for roads? What is going to happen with the severe erosion that occurred at Pioneer Park and at the Duke of Wellington Bridge in Wellington? New technology being trialled by Council parking officers. ARTEXPRESS features 38 bodies of work by 2022 HSC students from across NSW. Who will decide on the tender for the new fluoride dosing system at the Water Treatment Plant? A decision has been made on the electricity supply for Council’s large electricity sites. A very successful weekend with NSW Touch Junior State Cup being held in Dubbo. Limerick of the Week.

Thanks to SES after our recent storms and a last update on green waste. New residents welcomed to Dubbo. Meeting held on-site to discuss 12 Mile Road and Goolma Road. City of Dubbo Eisteddfod AGM. Wellington Australia Day committee debrief meeting. $9.23 million from the State Government to develop 6,000 residential blocks of land. Final submissions received for the Macquarie River Masterplan. NSW Touch Junior State Cup being held in Dubbo this week. ArtExpress opens this week. Limerick of the Week.

The community suffered significant storm damage on Thursday night. What is Council doing to help the clean up? Under Section 226 (d) of the Local Government Act, a Mayor has rarely used powers. Why were these powers exercised recently? Would you like to donate a commemorative Park Bench? Council needs a policy for that! Backyard sheds are becoming larger all the time. A Development Control Plan is required. Minimum lot sizes are going down in various developments in Dubbo. How small is too small? Despite the fact that it is almost seven years after the amalgamation, Wellington residents and Dubbo residents are still paying different amounts for water and sewer. Is it time to fix this? An update on the progress of the Fluoride Dosing System for the Dubbo Water Treatment Plant. What is the plan for the Keswick Estate fence line along the Mitchell Highway? Road closure updates for the NSW Touch Football Junior State Cup coming up on 24 – 26 February. Dubbo was recently involved in meetings in Canberra. Was anything achieved? Limerick of the Week.

Why is Dubbo letting surrounding areas snare the big football and cricket matches? What futuristic flight testing is taking place at Bodangora Airstrip? Why did residents from the Comobella area meet with Council representatives at Comobella Hall this week? Is the location for Council meetings about to throw away almost 50 years of history for the sake of efficiency? What was achieved at the latest Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone Community Reference Group meeting? Is the Dubbo Sports Hub finally going to go ahead after first being announced in 2018? What was our share of the $280 million allocated to Regional Roads? What was the Limerick of the Week about this week?

Update on Australia Day ceremonies in Dubbo and Wellington. Sandy Beach sand movements being discussed with NSW Fisheries. Boothenba Road upgraded at the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets intersection. Rural Fire Service Training Centre and upcoming Aerial Firefighting conference. Pumped Hydro scheme proposed near Burrendong Dam. Council taking part in a trial with NSW Government’s OneRoad system which will feed information directly through to Live Traffic NSW. Limerick of the Week.

2023 Swimming NSW Country Regional Meeting currently being held in Dubbo. NSW Country Athletic Championships currently being held at Barden Park. Council developing a business case for the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone Green Energy Hub. New Horseland store opened in Dubbo. New Zoo Hospital facility at the Zoo. Roads, roads, roads. Smokescreen Film Series returns to the Western Plains Cultural Centre. Details about Australia Day ceremonies in Wellington and Dubbo. Update on Fluoride in the drinking water in Wellington and Dubbo. Cricket NSW State Challenge for U14 Boys and U15 Girls being held in Dubbo. Latest news on the Old Dubbo Gaol entrance upgrade. Expressions of Interest invited for the Villages Committee. Reflection on Council in 2022. Limerick of the Week.

While the normal host of Mayoral Memo is taking a break over Christmas, Mayor Mathew Dickerson took the opportunity to interview the Councillors after one year of the new Council. All Councillors were offered the opportunity to answer the same ten questions and each week two Councillors are featured (in reverse alphabetical order). The normal podcast will resume when Mark Barnes returns from holidays.