Author: Matt Fanning

Message from the Shire President

With the election nomination period come and gone, and our nominees elected unopposed, I would like to formally congratulate our returning Councillors – Gary Cosgrove and Justin Bagley and welcome our two new Councillors-Elect – Carol Farr and Hellene McTaggart. I am certainly looking forward to working with you all following your upcoming swearing in next month. Whilst no election is taking place in Mingenew this year, it is great that our community has enough interest and willingness to see all our positions filled – many small local governments are not this lucky.

I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our outgoing Councillors, Leah Eardley and Kym McGlinn for their service and contribution to the Shire over the past four and two years respectively.

I recently attended a series of State Risk Project workshops, along with Council, community and agency representatives as part of the ongoing work of Mingenew’s Local Emergency Management Committee. The process involved considering what risks certain events (such as fires, floods or biosecurity outbreaks) would have upon our community and how we would respond. The process was, at times, sobering – reminding us of some of the limitations we have and how vulnerable small communities like ours can be in the face of disaster. It was also strangely uplifting though, as we were constantly reminded of the strong community fabric that we have in Mingenew and the amount of internal support our community provides in the face of adversity.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge that we are rapidly approaching this year’s harvest. I would like to wish all our farmers a successful, safe and productive year.

– Cr Helen Newton, Shire President.

Roads

As we move towards our road construction period, we are gearing up for several key projects:

• Coalseam Road Widening between Scroops Rd and Coalseam Bridge (due to commence October)
• Coalseam road embankment works near Coalseam Crossing (tender to be adjudicated at the October Council meeting)
• Yandanooka NE Road ongoing widening (tender to be adjudicated at the October Council meeting)
• Sealing of all the above

During this time we will also be working through our maintenance grading program, which is currently centred around the south-east section of the Shire (Colgate, Yandanooka-Melara, Yandanooka Morawa Roads). From there, we will be moving toward Mooriary/Strawberry North East and Burma roads.

Bridges

Representatives from Main Roads attended the September Council meeting to provide an update on the planning and design process for replacements to the Coalseam and Yarragadee bridges. At this stage the information we have is as follows:

Coalseam Bridge:

• New bridge likely to be built on the alignment of the previous bridge (next to current bridge)
• New bridge construction expected to commence around February 2021
• Current traffic control measures to remain in place until them
• FY20-21 portion of project has secured funding

 Yarragadee Bridge:

• Moving towards design phase as waterway and geotechnical studies are completed
• Likely to be replaced by new bridge with deck 100mm higher than current structure
• New bridge may be replaced on site of current bridge, which will require alternative access routes to be put in place
• Construction of new bridge currently unfunded (as will require further design works to secure funding)
• Construction therefore likely to occur following Coalseam bridge replacement

Main roads are expecting to have further updates in several months time, and a community meeting has been mooted at that time to provide public information and an opportunity for road users to ask questions directly.

 Local Government Election

Following the close of nominations for candidates on 12 September, we had an equal number of candidates and vacancies. As such, no election is required as all candidates are deemed to be elected unopposed. Our new Councillors-elect are:

• Justin Bagley (Rural Ward)
• Hellene McTaggart( Rural Ward)
• Gary Cosgrove (Town Ward)
• Carol Farr (Town Ward)

Their terms will commence from 20 October 2019 and run until 21 October 2023.

 Rubbish Collection Changes

All eligible properties should now have replacement bins from Cleanaway, following the final Avon Waste collection on 19 September. Please note that for domestic bin, the collection day is Monday. A reminder that some rural properties are now eligible for collection, and that the option now exists to have a skip bin for those who require the extra capacity. You can find out more on our website: here.

Waste Transfer Station

Through the public consultation process we received 41 submissions relating to the shift from landfill to transfer station. Thanks to all who provided their input. Some key findings regarding the use of the landfill:

• Most current usage happens on weekends
• Majority of waste dumped is household/green waste
• Vast majority of loads up to 3m³
• Strong preference for limited days to include weekends
• Slight preference for opening hours to be 10am-2pm

A range of comments were received, which reflect largely expected concerns:

• “I am concerned that restricting and taking away the freedom of choice to attend the landfill facility at any time chosen is going to impact on the cleanliness and tidiness of the town. I also hope that local residents only will be given the opportunity to be employed at the landfill facility”
• “As we do not receive a rubbish collection service but pay relatively high rates, we (farmers) should be able to use the tip facilities for free.”
• “What is the cost to Rate Payers? How much rubbish will be dumped in the bush? Will you place a large bin at the gate for people cut short?”
• “A fee for using the tip should be introduced,the public also need to know the cost of running a tip.”
• “As long as general rubbish drop off remains free for those of us without curbside pick up I’m not overly concerned.”
• “In it’s present form, the tip currently self recycles. People dump their unwanted goods and then other people take what they can use and recycle. If the tip is remodeled in to a transfer station this will no longer occur. There will be an increased risk that residents will begin to illegally dump their rubbish in the bush surrounding the town.”

The next step will be for Council to embark on an Expression of Interest process for a person or organisation to manage the transfer station operations, this will have a number of features:

• Include rights to salvage/recycle
• Strongly suggest implementation of a ‘tip shop’ to allow for continued ‘self-recycling’
• Set minimum opening hours: 6 hours on Saturday, 4 hours on Sunday, 6 hours on Wednesday
• Contractor to have ability to open outside of these hours should there be demand
• Contractor to be responsible for capturing of waste data, in accordance with legislation

The changes will also restrict the waste types that can be dumped free of charge to:

• Domestic waste
• Green waste
• Waste oils
• Whitegoods
• Domestic quantities of construction waste
• Reasonable quantities of commercial waste

Charges will likely be introduced for certain types of waste to be dumped (as there is a future cost to dispose of/manage)

• Asbestos (domestic quantities only; must be appropriately double-wrapped)
• Any waste from non-ratepayers

Some types of waste (like tyres) will continue to be prohibited, and this will be more strongly policed, as they represent a significant cost to ratepayers to correctly dispose of and are frequently dumped illegally.

There will continue to be significant public notification as Council moves through this process. It’s acknowledged that it will mark a significant change to the current landfill operations, but with ongoing tightening of waste management legislation and an increased need to responsibly dispose of our waste and operate our waste site these changes are increasingly necessary. The end result will be a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to managing our waste, and a tidier and safer waste facility.

Council will be advertising in the coming weeks for a business or contractor to potentially take over operations of the transfer station.

Council Meeting Review

The September Council meeting was relatively procedural in nature, with the adoption of several new policies and approval of a block amalgamation in town. The most significant piece was awarding our bitumen sealing contract for the 19-20 Financial Year, which forms a significant part of our upcoming roadworks.

Heavy Vehicle Access to CBH and around Townsite

At this year’s Expo we commenced consultation around some proposed changes to heavy vehicle access to CBH and surrounds. We are continuing to seek community feedback on this matter to help to inform next steps. The primary issues being addressed are stacking distance problems for long trucks at the Mingenew-Morawa Road intersection, the impact of Boolinda Rd being blocked by trains and concerns regarding heavy vehicle traffic in the town centre.

We have a feedback survey available for any interest people to complete: here.

For more information, including proposed mapping, and a downloadable version of the survey, visit the Shire website: here or come by the Shire office.

 Fire Season

As we move towards summer, a reminder that Restricted Burning commenced on 1 October and Prohibited Burning will commence on 1 November. The Shire will also be conducting property and firebreak inspections to address any potential fire hazards. More information can be found on the Shire website.

Website and Communications

We have been updating our contact lists for our email and text message database. We have finalized our new lists, so if feel you are missing out on important text messages with Shire updates, please complete the ‘Community Register’ form at here, or simply come into the Shire office for a form.

Likewise, if you haven’t already, be sure to follow the Shire on Facebook for a range of regular updates. You can find us here.

In accordance with Section 18 of the Bush Fires Act 1954, under delegated authority granted to the Chief Bush Fire Control Officer in consultation with the Shire President and Bushfire Advisory Committee, the Shire advises that the Restricted Burning Period has been changed to

Restricted Burning

1 October 2019 to 31 October 2019 (previously 17 September 2019 – 31 October 2019)

During a Restricted Burning Period permits are required, and can be obtained from:

Murray Thomas, Chief Bush Fire Control Officer                       0428 281 157

Nick Duane, Deputy Chief Bush Fire Control Officer                0429 726 058

(Fire Control Officers are not obliged to issue permits.)

Permits cannot be issued over the phone and must be obtained in person, nor can they be retrospective. Please be courteous in contacting permit issuing officers to ensure they are available with sufficient time to consider your request.

Please note that should a Fire Control Officer refuse to issue a permit, it is a breach of the Bush Fires Act 1954 to request a permit from another Fire Control Officer.

Firebreaks Due 1 October

A reminder to residents that all landowners/occupiers within the Shire of Mingenew must have appropriate firebreaks installed on or by 1 October, which is then to be maintained through to 15 March 2020. Penalties apply for non-compliance.

For further information please refer to the Fire Break Notice issued with Rate Notices or visit this webpage.

Whilst firebreaks can serve to provide a level of protection and minimisation of damage to your property, it also serves to protect your neighbours and the work conducted by emergency services personnel.

Thank you to those who have conducted firebreak requirements already.

RESULTS OF ORDINARY ELECTION AT CLOSE OF NOMINATIONS – 12 SEPTEMBER 2019

Congratulations to the following nominees who have been elected unopposed as Councillor for the Shire of Mingenew as part of the 2019 ordinary election, in accordance with s4.55 of the Local Government Act 1995.

Ward	Candidate	Profile	Term Expiry
Rural	Justin David Balgey	Click Here	21/10/2023
Rural	Hellene Rose McTaggart	Click Here	21/10/2023
Town	Gary John Cosgrove	Click Here	21/10/2023
Town	Caroline Vivien Farr	Click Here	21/10/2023

Councillors-elect will be sworn in at the November Ordinary Council meeting and will hold office until the terms expire on 21 October 2023.

Thank you to those who participated in the election process.

A copy of the signed election result documentation can be viewed here.

Message from the Shire President

August is always a busy month, the first week usually features the Western Australian Local Government Association’s (WALGA) Annual Conference. This year – in response to increased scrutiny of the role of local governments across WA – there was a strong focus on the breadth of services that local governments provide. Whilst, traditionally, the 3 Rs (Roads, Rates and Rubbish) used to be all that we involved ourselves with, modern local government is a different beast – incorporating housing, youth services, aged care, facilities management, community development, tourism and a lot more besides.

Speaking of tourism, I can also report that our current advertising campaign has been proving successful. I received numerous positive comments at the conference regarding our television commercial ‘Make Mingenew the Middle of Your Wildflower Season’, and the sheer number of tourists visiting our town in the past few weeks certainly suggests that it is having an impact.

No doubt this is helped when local businesses also try new things to attract and retain visitors. On this topic I want to extend my congratulations to Carol and Brett Farr and their team at the Mignenew Spring Caravan Park for a recent – very well attended – live music night. Whilst the Shire will always endeavour to encourage visitors to our area, once people arrive we rely upon the efforts of our local businesses and community to help ensure that their experience lives up to our ads. Initiatives like live music, events and extended trading hours all help in this regard.

Of course, the other reason that town has been so busy was the 37^th Mingenew Midwest Expo. I want to pass on my compliments and congratulations to the board, exhibitors, suppliers and countless volunteers who help to deliver this event. Whilst the rain may have dampened numbers, it didn’t dampen spirits and another successful event was delivered.

Lastly, I would like to thank all who have – or will be – nominating to stand in the October local government elections. It is not always easy being a Councillors, but it is a highly rewarding role – and a necessary one. I wish you all the very best.

– Cr Helen Newton, Shire President.

Roads

As tenders are being prepared for major works on Coalseam Road this financial year, our crew is currently in maintenance mode, trying to improve some of our worst gravel sections and do some pothole patching, ahead of this year’s harvest.

We are also in the process of applying for funding for next financial year to upgrade a number of intersections on Yandanooka North East Road, improve our Shire’s section of Burma Road and continue improvements on the Mingenew-Mullewa Road – as per our recently-adopted 5-year Road Plan.

Main Roads will be providing an update to Council regarding ongoing bridge upgrades (Yarragadee and Coalseam Bridges in particular) in September – so expect to hear more about this in next month’s update.

Rubbish Collection Changes

Just a reminder: Effective 23 September, Cleanaway will be taking over from Avon Waste as our rubbish collection agency. The biggest change will be collection day for domestic bins moving from Thursday to Monday. One of the other changes under the contract will be the availability of collection for some rural properties along selected routes. You can find out more on our website here.

Mingenew Bank Building

The Shire is commencing an Expression of Interest campaign to find a new occupant for the vacant bank building in Mingenew. The Shire would like to use this as an opportunity to further the aims of our Strategic Community Plan 2019-2029 and see the building utilised in a way that promotes the aims of that Plan and supports and strengthens the economy and social fabric of our community.

Full details, including the expression of interest form, can be found on our website (click here) or by contacting the Shire.

Council Meeting Review

It was a big agenda this month, with both our Audit and Risk Committee and Ordinary Council Meeting taking place. Our Audit Committee meeting saw the receipt of our Interim Audit and 4-yearly Financial Management Review – both of which pointed to a generally stable and robust system of financial and management controls within the organisation. It also provided an update on the delivery of our 3-year internal audit plan, the chief deliverable of which is a vastly improvement HR Policy and Procedure framework for the organisation. Whilst the content of the audit meetings can sometimes be viewed as very dry, as the local government sector modernises and comes under increased scrutiny from both the Auditor General and the general public, it is critical that we have contemporary management systems and processes in place.

The Council meeting itself featured several planning items, key among them an amendment to the Shire’s outbuilding policy which saw increased height restrictions introduced for sheds build in town. The Shire also adopted its Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2019-2024, another statutory requirement and a key document to ensure that we are providing adequate service to those in our community with special needs.

Finally, Council endorsed a submission to the Select Committee into Local Government, a State Government committee established to investigate the function of Local Government in WA. You can learn more about this, and make a submission yourself if you wish, at this site (submissions close 13 September 2019).

Tourism Update

We are well and truly into tourism season! There are a lot of visitors coming through town and – thanks to some recent rain – the wildflowers are looking impressive. Thanks to our volunteers from the Tourist and Promotions committee for their efforts in this space – there is a new gazebo being built at Drover’s Rest, shuttles of everlastings around the main street and some new droving static displays in production. The Tourist Centre has also reopened for the season, which is an invaluable service that this volunteer group provides.

Heavy Vehicle Access to CBH and around Townsite

At this year’s Expo we commenced consultation around some proposed changes to heavy vehicle access to CBH and surrounds. We are seeking community feedback on this matter to help to inform next steps. The primary issues being addressed are stacking distance problems for long trucks at the Mingenew-Morawa Road intersection, the impact of Boolinda Rd being blocked by trains and concerns regarding heavy vehicle traffic in the town centre.

The process is still in the very early stages, and community input is vital to the process. We have a feedback survey available for any interest people to complete online here.

For more information, including proposed mapping, and a downloadable version of the survey, visit the Shire website (click here) or come by the Shire office.

2019 Local Government Elections

Ordinary Elections will take place to fill two Town Ward and two Rural Ward seats on Saturday October 19 2019. Electoral rolls closed on August 30, Candidate nominations opened on September 5 (closing September 12).

One key change this election, as a result of amendments to the Local Government Act 1995, is that prior to nominating in the 2019 local government elections, all candidates will be required to complete the online candidate induction.

The candidate induction has been developed to assist people who are thinking about becoming a local government councillor to better understand the role. It outlines the responsibilities of council and councillors as well as election and campaigning rules. The induction will also serve as a refresher to those who have previously been a councillor and informs them of any recent changes to their obligations in the role.

The candidate induction is free and is available on the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ website (here). For those who do not have access to the internet, please visit the Shire offices to complete the module online. It is important that all prospective candidates complete the registration form at the end of the candidate induction. This will ensure your completion is recorded by the department and you can nominate.

For those who do not have access to the internet, please visit the Shire offices to complete the module online. It is important that all prospective candidates complete the registration form at the end of the candidate induction. This will ensure your completion is recorded by the department and you can retain the confirmation email for your records.

All candidates nominating for council will be required to declare that they have competed the candidate induction at the time of nomination, which will be verified with the Department. Our website has a wealth of information on both voting on, and running in, the election. We encourage you to visit our elections page or contact Shire’s Governance Officer on (08)9928 1102 to find out more.

Website and Communications

We have been updating our contact lists for our email and text message database. We have finalized our new lists, so if feel you are missing out on important text messages with Shire updates, please complete the ‘Community Register’ form here, or simply come into the Shire office for a form.

Likewise, if you haven’t already, be sure to follow the Shire on Facebook for a range of regular updates. You can find us here.

MEETING NOTICE: EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

4pm, Friday, 30 August 2019 in Council Chambers

 Notice is hereby given that an Executive Management Committee Meeting is to be held on Friday, 30 August 2019, commencing at 4:00pm in the Council Chambers at the Shire Offices, Victoria St, Mingenew.

The purpose of the meeting is to negotiate the CEO’s Focus Areas and Actions for July 2019 to June 2020 in relation to his Performance Review, as resolved by Council at the Ordinary Council meeting held 21 August 2019. As the matter to be discussed affects the employment of the CEO, in accordance with Section 5.23(2)(a), the meeting will be closed to the public.

Helen Newton

Shire President / Committee Chair

27 August 2019

Overview      

The bank building is located at 50 Midlands Road, Mingenew directly in front of the Post Office and Community Resource Centre.

The space is ground floor level and consists of main area with one built-in office space, kitchenette and toilet.  The area is approximately 45m².  It is intended the building will be leased as is.  The building was originally utilized as a bank.

The Vision

The intent of leasing this space is to further the delivery of the Shire’s Strategic Community Plan 2019-2029 vision:

“Mingenew Shire is a safe, inclusive and connected community with a thriving local economy that provides opportunity for all to succeed.”

To that end, we will preference applications which are aligned with the Strategic Community Plan’s goals and values. This will include (but not be limited to) proposed uses which:

• Support economic growth and social strengthening for Mingenew
• Provide services, goods and spaces to meet community and visitor needs
• Further develop of the community’s diverse culture and heritage
• Generate employment within the area especially for the youth
• Encourage people and families to move to the area
• Build on, and promote agriculture and local products within the region
• Encourage tourists to spend more time in Mingenew and the region
• Support digital infrastructure in town and in rural areas
• Promote and enable local businesses to grow and prosper
• Strive to grow Mingenew’s population

 Your Submission

The following information is to be included in the Expression of Interest response:

• The name and contact details of the proponent
• Company profile and previous relevant experience
• The vision for the venture and physical space
• How this vision links to and supports the Shire’s Strategic Community Plan 2019-2029
• The term of the lease and options
• Commencement date of lease
• Proposed rent per annum range

The application will be assessed according to:

• Alignment with Community Strategic Plan
• Experience and capacity for applicant to deliver on vision
• Perceived community benefit
• Proposal value for money

A copy of the Application Form can be found here.

Making an Enquiry or Submission

Any enquiries, regarding the Expression of Interest process, including requests to inspect the building, should be directed to Margaret Rowe, Project Officer:

T:  9928 1102

E: projects@mingenew.wa.gov.au

Submissions can be emailed to the above address, posted to PO Box 120 Mingenew WA 6522 or delivered by hand to 21 Victoria Street, Mingenew WA 6522.

To view a copy of the Strategic Community Plan 2019-2029, click here or visit the Shire office for a hard copy.

More information, including a copy of the Application Form can be found right here, or by contacting the Shire directly.

Expressions of Interest will be received up to 4.00pm Friday 27^th September 2019. Any submissions received after the closing date will not be accepted.                                                                          

At this year’s Expo we commenced consultation around some proposed changes to heavy vehicle access to CBH and surrounds. We are seeking community feedback on this matter to help to inform next steps.

What is proposed?
Together with CBH and Main Roads WA (MRWA) we are looking at ways that we can improve heavy vehicle
access to the CBH site. This may require realignment of both the Midlands Road and Mingenew-Morawa Road to improve accessibility.

Why is this being explored?
CBH is currently working on longer-term plans for the site, and vehicle access will be a key part of that if they are to continue to operate effectively. There have already been some issues identified:

• The Mingenew-Morawa Road railway crossing is not suitable for trucks over RAV4 (27.5m in length) as there is not sufficient space for trucks to safely park and wait for trains to pass (‘stacking distance’).
• When the train is being loaded, at times the Boolinda Street access to CBH can be blocked, which makes access to the site problematic.
• Concerns have been raised about heavy vehicle traffic through the town centre of Mingenew.

With CBH considering the long-term layout of the site, now is an appropriate time to examine whether the infrastructure that is in place is sufficient to support that site effectively, given the ongoing growth in the size of vehicles which service it. The Mingenew CBH facility is the largest onshore grain receival facility in the southern hemisphere and, as smaller grain bins in the region close, it is likely to grow in both size and importance. Whilst harvest access to CBH is a key consideration, the heavy vehicle access issues also affect other haulage operations, including cartage of lime sands, fertiliser and livestock.

What could change?
We are still very early in the process – working off a ‘mud map’, not engineering drawings – but one proposed solution includes:

• Closing Boolinda Street, in favour of a realigned Midlands Rd, hopefully removing potential issues with trains blocking access.
• Creating a sweeping bend from Midlands Road, heading east up to Mingenew-Morawa Rd to try to address stacking distance issues.
• Making Midlands Rd – Eleanor St – Mingenew-Morawa Rd the primary heavy vehicle route.
• Adding heavy vehicle parking on the old iron ore pad (next to the Railway Station) to allow heavy vehicles to safely park and for drivers and operators to easily access the main street (via a pedestrian crossing near the railway station).

Will heavy vehicles still be able to access the main street?
Yes. The intent isn’t to prevent heavy vehicles from accessing the main street, but to provide them with more efficient access to CBH.

The current proposed plan also features a designated heavy vehicle parking bay near the Railway Station to provide better parking options for heavy vehicles in town. As we experience increasing numbers of caravans and other traffic in town, it is hoped this will take some of the parking load during busy periods.

When will this happen?
This is a medium- to long-term project which will require significant external funding to complete. As such we anticipate several years of planning and obtaining funding before any physical roadworks would take place. As we are looking at
a long-term solution for the town, it’s appropriate that it be given due consideration and planning.

What’s the next step?
We want to get feedback from the community. This is a long-term project and we want to make sure that it provides the best solution reasonably available. We also have some funding committed from the Shire and CBH to undertake an initial design analysis to see if our mud map idea would meet appropriate engineering and road standard specifications.

How can I provide feedback?
We want to hear from you – and it’s easy! We have a digital or paper-based survey that you can complete. The online survey is here, or you can download a hard copy here. Alternatively, contact the Shire directly.

We are particularly interested in:

• Positive and negative impacts that people can identify.
• Concerns that you believe the design should address (e.g. parking, public safety, speed limits).
• Whether you believe you have a design which might better address the issues identified.

How can I find out more?
Contact the Shire, or  see the Resources section of our website.

The Shire of Mingenew is in the process of commencing the restoration of the Railway Station with the aim of utilizing the building for community groups or interested persons throughout the region.

It is envisaged that it could become a cultural centre for the wider community holding small events there, such as workshops as well as making space available for resident artists and community groups. Some smaller rooms of the building could also be used as hot office space, and there could also be an area for children’s dance classes or other activities to be held.

We are calling for expressions of interest from community groups or interested persons, who feel they could make use of this building, along with any further ideas you feel this building could be utilized for, creating benefit for the wider community.

For any further queries please contact the Shire on 9928 1102 or projects@mingenew.wa.gov.au. Please reply in writing to the Shire before COB Friday 6th September 2019.

The Shire of Mingenew recently called tenders for its refuse collection and disposal service.  The successful contractor was Cleanaway of Geraldton, which will provide the service from Monday 23 September 2019.  Avon Waste will continue to provide its regular service until the week ending 20 September.

There will be several changes as a result of the new contract:

1. Collection days will alter. From 23 September 2019, the collection day for residential bins will change to Monday;
2. The new Cleanaway bins will be distributed during the week starting 16 September 2019;
3. Some roadside rest stop bins outside of the townsite (e.g. Enanty Barn, Yandanooka) will be collected by the contractor;
4. Rural properties along the collection truck routes will now have the option to have a weekly domestic (or in some cases, fortnightly commercial-sized) bin collected as part of the normal Shire of Mingenew collection service.

The Cleanaway contract and new collection days/times will take effect from Monday 23 September 2019 according to the below:

Service	Collection Day and Time	Frequency
Mingenew Residential Properties (240L bin)	Mondays (please put bins out by 6.00am)	Weekly
Rural Residential Bins (240L) – collection truck routes only	Mondays (please put bins out by 6.00am)	Weekly
Commercial sized Front Lift Bins (1.5/3.0m³)	Fridays	Fortnightly
Roadside Rest Stop Bins – external to Mingenew Townsite (240L)	Mondays	Weekly

 Rural Collection

If eligible rural properties would like to receive a rubbish collection service, please contact the Shire of Mingenew on 9928 1102.  A 240L residential style bin or a 1.5/3.0m³ commercial bin will be provided free of charge and an annual collection fee will be added to your annual rates notice. For more information, please contact the Shire. Outlined below are the roads able to be serviced (those being travelled by the collection truck).

Rural Road Collection	Bin Pick-up Point	Collection Day	1.5/3.0m³ Bin Availability
Midlands Road (from Shire’s western boundary with Irwin, to Mingenew townsite).	Bins to be placed on the northern side of the road (so the truck can pick up the bins whilst on route to Mingenew from Dongara).	Mondays (please put bins out by 6.00am).	Yes (collected fortnightly on Fridays).
Midlands Road (from Mingenew townsite to Yandanooka townsite).	Bins to be placed at your drive-way (the truck can pick up the bins on route from Mingenew to Yandanooka, and then on its return to Mingenew).	Mondays (please put bins out by 6.00am).	No.
Mingenew-Morawa Road (from Mingenew townsite to Enanty Barn’s roadside rest stop rubbish collection point).	Bins to be placed at your drive-way (the truck can pick up the bins on route to Mingenew to Enanty Barn and return to Mingenew).	Mondays (please put bins out by 6.00am)	No.
Depot Hill/Allanooka Springs Road (the route taken by the truck to return to Geraldton).	Bins to be placed on the south/western side of the road (so the truck can pick up the bins on route from Mingenew back to Geraldton).	Mondays (please put bins out by 6.00am)	Yes (collected fortnightly on Fridays).

For more information, you can contact the Shire on 08 9928 1102 or email enquiries@mingenew.wa.gov.au.

Message from the Shire President

It’s been another busy month both at the Council and in the region more broadly. Mingenew hosted the recent Victoria District Ladies Golf Championship, which saw participants from across the region converge on our town for three days of competition and enjoyment. It was both well-fought and well-attended; another quality event which is testament to the hard work and talent of our local volunteers.

Further east, I was also impressed with the Shire of Morawa’s recent NAIDOC Week event. Considering it is only in its second year, they had strong attendance and provided an entertaining and thought-provoking program, which involved people from right across the region. It was particularly encouraging to see so many young people taking part and engaging with this year’s theme of ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth.’

On the political advocacy front, we were visited this month by Hon. Martin Aldridge MLC, Member for the Agricultural Region. We were able to use this opportunity to discuss a range of matters with Mr. Aldridge, key among them the distribution of licence fees to fund works on local government roads and improving the provision of regional health services – particularly mental health. Mr Aldridge sits on the newly appointed Select Committee into Local Government, and we plan to provide a submission to the Committee outlining some of the disproportionate burdens that are placed on small, rural local government.

Meanwhile, the Council adopted its 2019/20 Budget and our new 2019-2023 Corporate Business Plan. These are critical documents to both resource and guide Council activities for the coming 12 months, and beyond. I would like to acknowledge the effort that has been put in by staff and Councillors in preparing, scrutinizing and adopting them. With the budget confirmed, our road program for 2019/20 – for both maintenance and new construction – can commence in earnest.

– Cr Helen Newton, Shire President.

 

Corporate Planning and Budget

Our 4-year Corporate Business Plan has now been adopted. This gives the Shire clarity with regards to which projects will be prioritized for delivery over the coming 12-48 months. These priorities were selected based upon feedback provided through the Community Strategic Plan 2019-29 and – whilst it’s impossible to fit everything into a four-year plan – it provides an ambitious target for us.

The coming 12 months will be focused on the planning and funding of several key projects, including the Railway Station and Town Hall. Increasingly, we will require strong funding applications in order to help fund and deliver projects, and ensuring that we have clear, costed and achievable plans is part of that process.

We have also adopted our 2019/20 Budget. This gives funding surety to this year’s projects and operational activities – meaning that we can start tendering for large projects (like some of our roadworks). It also means that our rates notices have been issued; this year, we are seeing a rate rise of 0.94%.

 

 Roads

As always, weather is our biggest challenge at this time of year. We have elected to postpone the sealing of the Mingenew-Mullewa Road until we have had sufficient dry conditions to ensure a lasting seal, and the water has done a superb job of creating potholes for our crew to fill and reminding us which roads turn to mud the fastest and take the longest to dry out.

With the passing of the budget, we will be releasing some roadworks tenders, as well as commencing our own maintenance and construction program. It was also a good time to look back at what we achieved in 2018/19: Over $5.6m of roadworks delivered. For comparison’s sake, that figure is a touch more than the previous two years combined (by virtue of a significant amount of flood damage repair work which took place). That said, we still have a program of approximately $4.2m for 2019/20, which includes significant widening and sealing on Coalseam Road, completion of the sealing on Mingenew-Morawa Road, some further widening and sealing of Yandanooka North East Road, as well as a range of maintenance and resheeting projects across the Shire.

 

Rubbish Collection Changes

Council has awarded a new tender for rubbish collection. Effective 23 September, Cleanaway will be taking over from Avon Waste. The biggest change will be collection day for domestic bins moving from Thursday to Monday. One of the other changes under the contract will be the availability of collection for some rural properties along selected routes. Stay tuned for further information on the changeover in the coming weeks. You can click here for more details.

 

Council Meeting Review

The key focus items of the July Council meeting were our Budget and Corporate Plan. Roads also featured strongly, with Council adopting a Five-Year Road Plan, as well as a Road Closure Policy. The Plan outlines key construction and maintenance projects over the coming five years and will help to inform future budgets and works programs.

The new Policy is a key document which outlines the circumstances under which the Shire may close or restrict access to roads, as well as relevant exemptions to those closures. It is a further piece in our ongoing desire to ensure that we manage our roads effectively during wet weather and protect them from unnecessary damage.

As always, minutes can be found on the here.

 

Tourism Update

It’s certainly starting to feel like the tourism season is kicking off, with increased numbers of visitors in the Shire. We want to acknowledge the hard-working volunteers at both the Tourist Centre and Museum who will be kept busy throughout the coming months – they perform an invaluable service.

Over the course of the past month our new marketing campaign ‘Make Mingenew the Middle of Your Wildflower Season’ has launched, if you haven’t seen our advertisement for the current season, we encourage you to check it out here . Our online presence this year is being bolstered by TV advertising and billboards on the Brand Highway.

  

Waste Management

If you haven’t already done so, we would love to have some feedback from you regarding our proposed shift from landfill to transfer station. We encourage all tip users to take part in the consultation process and help us by completing our online survey here.

For more information, including our draft Environmental Management Plan, and a downloadable version of the survey, visit the Waste Management section on our Resources page.

 

2019 Local Government Elections

Ordinary Elections will take place to fill two Town Ward and two Rural Ward seats on Saturday October 19 2019. Whilst this may seem like it’s a long way off whether you are looking to nominate, or simply vote, now is a great time to check your enrolment. Rolls will close 5.00pm on Friday 30 August. It’s not compulsory to vote in Local Government elections, however as a voter, or a prospective Councillor, you have a real chance to make a difference to your community.

Our website has a wealth of information on both voting on, and running in, Local Government elections. We encourage you to visit our elections page to find out more.

 

 Expo 2019

It’s hard to believe that Expo 2019 is only a fortnight away! Please be sure to drop by the Shire stand this year, in the family interest tent, to learn a little more about some of our projects and give us feedback on both our transfer station and CBH Heavy Vehicle Access proposals.

 

Website and Communications

We have been updating our contact lists for our email and text message database. We have finalized our new lists, so if feel you are missing out on important text messages with Shire updates, please complete the ‘Community Register’ form at our resources page, or simply come into the Shire office for a form.

Likewise, if you haven’t already, be sure to follow the Shire on Facebook for a range of regular updates. Simply click here.

The Shire of Mingenew advises that a Shire of Mingenew Executive Management Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, 30 July 2019 commencing at 4:30pm to review and make recommendations to Council on the Chief Executive Officer’s performance review. The meeting will be closed to members of the public in accordance with s.5.27(2)(a) of the Local Government Act 1995 which relates to when a matter to be dealt with at the meeting is a matter affecting an employee or employees. The Executive Management Committee has delegated authority to conduct the CEO Performance Review under s5.28 of the Local Government Act 1995 and R18D of the Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996.

 

Helen Newton

Shire President

To better manage our natural environment, reduce unauthorised dumping of waste and improve our regulatory compliance, the Shire of Mingenew is moving from its current Landfill approach towards a Transfer Station model. This will likely mean some changes in the way our tip operates; including:

• Reducing the hours that the tip is open
• Restricting (and controlling) the type and volume of waste accepted
• Charging to accept some waste types and/or introducing charges for those who are not Shire ratepayers
• Manning the site to better monitor and manage this

Many of our neighbouring shires have already moved to a similar model, and this process will bring Mingenew in line with modern waste management approaches and current waste management legislation. In addition to the regulatory pressure which is making these changes necessary, we have also recently been receiving significant amounts of waste, like tyres, at the landfill. It is acknowledged that some of this is coming from outside the Shire, due to the fact that our tip is open 24/7 and free.  The current lack of a control mechanism means that it is going to be the Shire (and ratepayers) that are required to pay for these to be properly disposed of. By transitioning to a transfer station, we will be in a position to better manage situations like this.

For more details, you can view our Draft Environmental Plan here and our FAQ document here. We aim to complete this process in early 2021.

You can also access this information and downloads on our Resources page.

The Shire is pleased to report that we now have BPay facilities available for payments of between $1 and $99,999.

You will notice that BPay details will appear on this year’s upcoming Rates Notices, as well as other invoices and payment documents. We hope that this new facility provides another option for people to easily make payments, online, at any time.

Biller Name: Shire of Mingenew

Biller Code: 306290

Should you have any further queries, please contact the Shire on  9928 1102, email enquiries@mingenew.wa.gov.au or come in and visit us at 21 Victoria Street, Mingenew.

To learn more about BPay, you can visit www.bpay.com.au.

Happy New Financial Year!

 

Message from the Shire President

Our June Council Meeting featured two welcomes: Lily Doran made her pledge to become an Australia Citizen and Anthony Smyth took his to become the Shire’s newest Councillor. I would like to congratulate both of them: Lily for affirming her commitment to this great country of ours and Cr Smyth for taking up this mantle and joining us in the rewarding – but also sometimes challenging – position as a Shire Councillor.

I also want to congratulate our many volunteers, who were acknowledged at our Thank A Volunteer Ceremony several days ago. I was unable to attend, but I thank Cr Robert Newton – our Deputy President – for standing in for me. Mingenew has a long and proud volunteering history. I learned that in his speech he referenced the volunteers who assisted in the aftermath of cyclone Hazel in 1979. I was reminded of this writing of my mother, Joan Newton, a former Shire Deputy President herself, following cyclone Hazel over 40 years ago:

“It was a long day for most people in Mingenew on Wednesday, 14 March, 1979, for many had been up since 4 a.m.

First came a little wind – coming in short, strong gusts; then came the rain – just over an inch. At 6 a.m. the Cyclone really had us in its grip. The keening wind, a frightening sound, seemed to gather strength as it swirled into our normally quiet little town; leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, as it stormed from the north, through Wongoondy, down the Mullewa Road, to us.

Sheets of iron were hurled from the C.B.H. Wheat Bin and floated through the air like pieces of silver paper, electric light poles snapped like matchwood, and huge trees, some up to 40 and 50 years old, were torn up by the roots.

Families were evacuated from their houses; the ladies of the Red Cross worked all day supplying food and drink to those unfortunate enough to have lost their roofs, or their entire homes. There was no power. But everyone worked with a will. Shire employees and volunteers cleared the streets, covering houses without roofs with tarpaulins; farmers who themselves had suffered severe losses in the way of sheds, windmills, fences came into town to help others.

No-one would wish for another Cyclone, but we all hope that the marvelous spirit of neighbourliness that existed on 14 March, will live on in our town.

I think my mother would be glad to see that, 4 decades later, we still have a thriving volunteer culture and strong community spirit here in Mingenew.

Earlier in the month, I met with my regional counterparts at a WA Local Government Association Zone meeting. It was a good opportunity to hear about the challenges and opportunities facing others in our sector and identify ways that we can better work together with our neighbours to deliver for our communities. At the meeting WACHS gave a presentation on some of the changes they are making to try to deliver better regional mental health services in the Mid West. This is a common challenge for many towns in our region, and I look forward to their updated strategies being rolled out to the wider community to help to better deliver services to those who need them.

As we enjoy some wet weather, I would also encourage all our road users to make sure they drive to the conditions and stay safe on our roads. Travel, and movement of heavy vehicles, on wet unsealed roads is often unavoidable however this year we are calling upon people to try to limit movement on wet roads in an effort to preserve our assets and reduce the cost of road repairs which could be avoided.

– Cr Helen Newton, Shire President.

 

Corporate Planning and Budget

Our 4-year Corporate Business Plan and 2019/20 Budget are well and truly under development. Councillors held initial discussions on both documents in June and they will be further workshopped as we move towards a planned budget adoption at some stage in July.

As always, a key element of the Shire budget is our road program. We are developing a 5-year road plan to help to inform this budget, and those into the future. With our limited resources, we are aiming for a sensible position which sees important regular maintenance (slashing, spraying, grading and patching) coupled with more significant improvement works (resheeting, resealing and new construction).

You can expect to hear more about all of the above in the coming weeks and months.

Roads

While the recent (and hopefully ongoing) wet weather is excellent news for our farms and wildflowers, it can cause issues on our unsealed road network.

When you encounter a wet unsealed road, please ensure you drive to suit the situation; slow down and keep an eye out for changed road conditions. If possible, we ask that you try to restrict heavy vehicle movements until the road has dried out a little bit. Heavy traffic on wet dirt and gravel roads can chop the surface up, which then presents hazards to road users while the road is both wet and dry (and requires repairing).

The Shire will be closing roads or placing restrictions on them from time to time, we ask that these notices are observed for both your safety, as well as the preservation of our transport assets. They will be announced through our text messaging service, Facebook and the Shire website; if you haven’t already subscribed to our text message, please do so on our website here or at the Shire office.

If you come across a road which you believe needs to be closed, or notice another hazard (e.g. a fallen tree, dangerous washout) please contact the Shire on 9928 1102 to let us know. We have an after-hours service on this line, so you will be able to report issues 24/7.

In our Shire we have 300km of unsealed roads, and our ability to maintain and rapidly repair them is very limited. While we are actively working to increase our annual resheeting program, we will always have areas which are problematic. With your help, reporting issues, limiting heavy traffic on wet roads and driving to the conditions, we can reduce damage to them caused by wet conditions. What this means for you is that our roads will be safer, and we will be saving ratepayer and taxpayer money.

 Heavy Vehicle Access to CBH Facility

Informal discussions have been held with CBH and Main Roads regarding access to Mingenew’s CBH facility for heavy vehicles. This has come about as CBH undergo some long-term planning for the facility, and we seek to address some of the challenges presented by growing numbers of increasingly large trucks requiring access to CBH, as well as increased cartage of aglime and other products through and around Mingenew. These challenges include stacking distance issues at the rail crossing on Mingenew-Morawa Road, access difficulty when trains are outloading at the facility, and limited parking for large trucks around the facility and in town.

In the same way that CBH will be considering the future state of the facility several decades down the track, we need to do the same for the supporting infrastructure. Any likely solution to these issues will require some realignment of roads around the facility, and it is important that any significant changes consider the long-term future of our town as a whole. As these discussions continue, expect to see requests for community input and feedback so that any issues identified can be addressed and the long-term future of Mingenew is enhanced.

Council Meeting Review

The June meeting saw the swearing in of Cr Anthony Smyth, following his election at the June 7 Extraordinary Town Ward Election. Cr Smyth’s term will run through until the October 2021 Ordinary Election.

With the focus on budgets and planning, biosecurity also featured at this month’s meeting. Council discussed the introduction of a Recognised Biosecurity Group (RBG) being established by the West Midlands Group to cover an area of the Mid West, incorporating the Shire of Mingenew. RBGs operate – and are funded – separately to Local Governments, and have access to matched State Government funding to assist with the management of pest animals and plants. Council has endorsed the establishment of the group and will follow their development with interest. You can learn more about RBGs here and get specific information on the proposed Midlands Biosecurity Group here.

As always, minutes can be found on the Shire website are available here.

Tourism Update

Representatives from Council and the Tourist and Promotions Committee have been meeting with local businesses ahead of tourist season to try to work together more closely through the season. The Shire, for its part, will be rolling out a new campaign from July centred around the theme ‘Make Mingenew the Middle of your Wildflower Season’. This will be supported by digital and television advertising, as well as a prominent billboard near Dongara.

Through the closer collaboration with business and Tourist & Promotions, we are looking to ensure that the image that we advertise to the world reflects the experience that visitors have when they come to Mingenew.

We have also just launched our new Wildflower Season webpage. Check it out here.

Managing Mosquitos

As we move into the wetter part of the year, we will also start to see more mosquitos around. There are some simple steps everyone can take to try to control mosquitos and other unwanted pests in their yards:

• Clean away debris, rubbish and other areas where water collects and stagnates
• Prevent yards from getting overgrown
• Tip out any standing water (in pots or other containers)

If you have done the above, but are still noticing lots of mosquitos please let the Shire know. We can then investigate the area and try to find a suitable treatment. In the first instance we will look to treat standing water to control mosquito larvae, but where these efforts are not successful, we may look to other methods like spraying or fogging for control.

The Shire will also be conducting town inspections to identify blocks which are overgrown or contain disused materials that may be serving as breeding grounds for mosquitos and other vermin. Should you require assistance clearing or slashing your block, or removing large items (like car bodies) please contact the Shire and we can provide private works assistance. You can also download the Private Works Request Form here.

Waste Management

Some time ago the Shire began the process of converting our landfill to a transfer station. The Shire recently completed the Environmental Management Plan for the facility, and will be commencing public consultation around the next step. As we make the transition, there will be changes (and we know that they will not be universally popular). They will likely include:

• Reducing the hours that the tip is open
• Restricting (and controlling) the type and volume of waste accepted
• Charging to accept some waste types and/or introducing charges for those who are not Shire ratepayers
• Manning the site to better monitor and manage this

Many of our neighbouring shires have already moved to a similar model, and this process will bring Mingenew in line with modern waste management approaches and current waste management legislation. In addition to the regulatory pressure which is making these changes necessary, we have also recently been receiving significant amounts of waste, like tyres, at the landfill. It is acknowledged that some of this is coming from outside the Shire, due to the fact that our tip is open 24/7 and free.  The current lack of a control mechanism means that it is going to be the Shire (and ratepayers) that are required to pay for these to be properly disposed of. By transitioning to a transfer station, we will be in a position to better manage situations like this.

Part of our consultation involves an online feedback survey, which we encourage all tip users to complete, it can be found here.

For more information, including our draft Environmental Management Plan, and a downloadable version of the survey, visit the Waste Management section on our Resources page here.

Big Ears

The Big Ears sculpture in Cecil Newton park has been deteriorating over time and is now becoming a little dangerous. Regrettably, the repair costs for the sculpture are very high, due to the material and specialist nature of the work. As a result, the sculpture will be dismantled and removed from the park in the near-medium term.

This won’t be the end of Big Ears though, there are plans afoot to reuse the stalks in future projects – so stay tuned.

Website and Communications

We have been updating our contact lists for our email and text message database. We have finalized our new lists, so if feel you are missing out on important text messages with Shire updates, please complete the ‘Community Register’ form at here, or simply come into the Shire office for a form.

Likewise, if you haven’t already, be sure to follow the Shire on Facebook for a range of regular updates. You can find us right here.