From Hilltops Councillor John Horton

Because of television, when man landed on the moon, we united as one on Earth. Let all residents in the Hilltops have the personal courage to become one and support the proposed joint use library and community facility for the Young High School and local community.

In November 2017, when the first public meeting was held, an advisory Committee was formed. Contrary to some reports, many more meetings were held and continue to be held to address and act on people’s concerns and to keep the Hilltops community in the loop. I have represented Hilltops Council since the Committee’s inception and know every effort has been made to address all concerns in a positive and timely manner.

Hilltops Council is responsible for a maximum of $6.5m as its upper limit contribution to a project that could cost upwards of $26m. The good news is that our contribution has already been funded with $2m coming from the Government’s $15m amalgamation grants fund, $3m coming from NSW Government grants applied for and won by Hilltops Council and the remaining $1.5m has been accounted for in future budget planning. Interest rates are the lowest I can remember and so now is the best time ever to take advantage of this financial climate.

For those people (minority) who continually knock Council’s efforts and tell us the proposed site for the proposed library is not the right place, I totally agree! I believe there is no right place, to be the right place you must have 100% agreement. Council investigated several sites, including the existing library site, the parking area to the rear of Town Hall, park land adjoining the museum and the proposed Young High School site adjoining Carrington Park.

You can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time! That precisely, is why there is no right place, however there is a best place and in my view, the proposed Young High School site is that place.

Councillor John Horton

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• Local Council