Fantastic Day at the Harden Kite Festival

From all reports, the Harden Kite Festival was a fantastic day which drew thousands of visitors to the region, both on the day and in the days leading up to the event. A great economic boost for Harden Murrumburrah and the entire Hilltops region. I was disappointed to miss the event due to illness.

Congratulations to the Committee for their hard work and dedication to the success of the event. My thanks to fellow Councillor John Horton who did a great job officiating proceedings in my absence. I must also mention the two hundred volunteers who gave up their time to assist with the Festival in many different ways. Community involvement ensures the success and sustainability of this great event. Thank you also to the Council staff who prepared the grounds for the event and for their work behind the scenes in minimising potential traffic issues.

I visited the Young Aquatic Centre on Sunday and met with the operators who reported that they are happy with progress at the site. We are still working closely with our contractors to keep the length of time the temporary facilities are in use to a minimum. It was great to see that those who wanted to utilise the pool are able to do so.

A reminder that water mains cleaning commenced this week in Harden and will begin next week in Young. This is to help minimise water discolouration during the summer months. Further information as well as the cleaning schedule and map is available on the Hilltops Council website and Facebook page.

Council have appointed Blackadder and Associates to facilitate the recruitment of a new General Manager for Hilltops Council. A workshop will be held with Councillors just prior to the October Council meeting to discuss our needs and expectations. From there, a recruitment campaign will commence with the aim of attracting the highest calibre of experienced candidates for the role. I will keep the community updated throughout this process.

This week, I am in Sydney attending the Local Government NSW Annual Conference. This conference is the policy-making event for NSW Councils and associate members. It provides an opportunity for Councillors to come together to share ideas and debate issues that shape the way we are governed. There is a focus this year on innovation regarding how Councils address their challenges. Through the sharing of information, we can explore how Councils can work together to develop innovative approaches to tackle common problems in the provision of facilities and services for our communities.

– Mayor Brian Ingram

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• Local Council