LATEST NEWS FROM MAYOR MARK KELLAM 22 FEBRUARY 2024
Published on 21 February 2024
Many of you may recall that the previous Technical Services Director (TSD) resigned late last year to take up a position with Bathurst Regional Council.
A recruiting process for a new TSD resulted in fourteen credible applications of which six were shortlisted for interviews immediately prior to Christmas. Two of those applicants made it to a final interview stage which occurred in late January.
The preferred candidate from the selection process was Cornelia Weibels who has accepted our employment offer and will be joining us 2 April 2024.
Cornelia has a decade of previous experience in a NSW rural Council and will be joining us from the Port Macquarie Council where she has been for about a year.
She has extensive experience in water, sewer and waste and has a PhD (Doctorate) in Engineering. Her skills will be particularly important as we begin the construction of our new Sewerage Treatment Plant, fine tune the water reticulation system and set up for the legislated changes to waste collection handling and disposal that will be upon us within the next few years.
Work on Lowes Mount Road is largely completed with the entire length of the road upgraded except for the section outside Borg’s gate six.
That section is due for completion later in the year and it will involve construction of a much more robust section of road due to the impact of the heavy vehicles turning into and out of the Borg Facility. The more robust road base and surface is more expensive, but the extra funds are catered for from appropriate Council reserves.
This weekend is all about The Oberon Rodeo at the Showground!
This event has grown every year supported by other profile-raising events such as the Bull Futurity and the inaugural Oberon Optimal Performance Academy. The Academy brought together high-quality coaches and very motivated young bull and bronc riders from around the county to learn new skills and understand how to manage and optimise their career, finances and health. We should see some of the young men from the academy riding on Saturday.
The Rodeo gates are open at 8.00 am Saturday with the main events kicking off at 1.00 pm. As dusk arrives the music starts, and the fun continues. No BYO alcohol permitted.
From Wednesday 21 February the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Andrew McKibbin, will become the acting Mayor for about a month.
I will be taking a medical leave of absence for major surgery to correct a secondary consequence of an injury I received some time ago.
The operation has a very high success rate and I look forward to resuming my elected role in late March.