Mayor's economic slingshot misfires

Councillors Frank Pearce, left, and Ben Shaw, right, were the
only two to appear on screen during the monthly meeting for
May. Picture: Derwent Valley Council.

A RAFT of proposals aimed at stimulating the local economy failed to win majority support at last month's Derwent Valley Council meeting.

Mayor Ben Shaw's five-point plan was tied 3-3 when put to the vote, with one councillor absent and one out of the room due to a declared pecuniary interest.

Councillor Shaw's plan was presented as a notice of motion at the May 21 council meeting, which was held partially online and partially in person. Several councillors were in the council's upstairs meeting room and the remainder dialled-in from home. Deputy mayor Jessica Cosgrove was absent.

At its April meeting the council approved a range of measures in its Covid-19 community support package. At the May meeting Cr Shaw proposed waiving certain council fees in order to stimulate the local economy by encouraging the building of homes; as well as bringing forward infrastructure projects; investigations into upgrading the visitor information centre; holding a launch party for the council's branding project; and authorising the general manager to to develop a business case to attract an employer of 50 or more employees to the Derwent Valley in the next financial year.

READ THE MAYOR'S FULL PROPOSAL

"Essentially, if we start at number one, it's about slingshotting the Derwent Valley economy and that's through residential increases," Cr Shaw said. He suggested waiving development application, building application and planning application fees in the next financial year, for all residential  applications, including subdivisions of no more than 10 lots, and all commercial/industrial applications with a value under $1 million. He estimated waiving the specified fees would cost about $200,000.

Cr Ben Shaw would like to see the
Derwent Valley Visitor Information Centre
upgraded to "yellow-i" status.

"The potential benefits of slingshotting building works in the Derwent Valley is shoring up our future income streams, and that's our biggest issue here at Derwent Valley Council now, is our cashflow and our income stream," Cr Shaw said. "Now I know people will say we're already in a tight financial position this year and we are. So that's why, actually why, I'm proposing to do it now whilst we're in this situation, we probably wouldn't normally think about it in any normal situation."

Cr Shaw said he was not asking councillors to decide on a budget that night, he was only seeking in-principle support. "The other thing about it is, the the local side of it, is that people can do their garages and their sheds and their decks and their pools and whatever else they might have been thinking about doing, but put it off for financial reasons. If they get to do that and use local content, local builders and local shops to buy all their gear, it also stimulates the economy."

Cr Julie Triffett commended the mayor for his proactiveness, but said it might be difficult to get infrastructure projects done, as all levels of government would be trying to stimulate the economy at the same time. She said the Visitor Information Centre co-ordinator was "on board" with the plan to seek a paid employee for the centre, possibly working with volunteers. "And of course I love a party so I'm right in for the branding [or] the coming out of Covid street party, whatever," she said,

Cr Frank Pearce while speaking about
the mayor's proposal to the last council
meeting. Picture: Derwent Valley Council.

Cr Frank Pearce said he was sympathetic to much of what was proposed, but he was not able to support the whole motion and felt it would be better to consider the items as part of the council budget rather than in advance of the budget. He said councillors should be careful about giving in-principle support to measures that the council might not be able to afford. "We have a very difficult Covid-19 recovery budget to finalise for consideration by council next month," he said.

Cr Pearce said councillors were not authorised to release information about their budget discussions, but he feared that the council risked running out of cash during the next financial year if it did not very carefully manage its finances. "I even note the mayor as being reported in the media earlier this week on ABC confirming the risk of running out of cash," he said. Cr Pearce said he tentatively supported upgrading the visitor centre to "yellow i" status but did not know the cost, and he wholeheartedly supported a launch for the council's branding initiative.

Councillors Paul Belcher and Natasha Woods said the mayor's motion had merit but the unknown costings were of concern. "Yes, it is a tricky time and we have to do something but I just think that this, for our little council with the budget that we have, I think it would put us in dire straits," Cr Belcher said. Endorsing the remarks of councillors Pearce and Belcher, Cr Woods said she could not support the whole motion at this time.

Cr Martyn Evans was temporarily chairing the meeting while Cr Shaw's motion was up for discussion. "I won't speak from the chair Mr Mayor but I actually support the motion though. I like the intent of it and I like that it was well thought out. I like the responses from the elected members and the thoughts whats gone in around that and obviously risk and risk implications to council but also the benefit what could come from council through economic growth and development. So I will be supporting this. I support the motion Mr Mayor," he said.

Cr Evans put the matter to the vote and declared it unsuccessful when three councillors voted in favour and three were opposed. In support were councillors Shaw, Triffett and Evans, while councillors Pearce, Belcher and Woods were against. Cr Luke Browning had declared a pecuniary interest and left the meeting. The Local Government Act determines that a tied vote is a lost vote because it did not win a majority.

Further easing of coronavirus restrictions

Click image to enlarge.

THE second stage of the easing of Tasmania's public health restrictions starts at 3pm this afternoon (Friday).

A staged approach of lifting of restrictions has been developed to help reduce the risk to the community of Covid-19.

Gatherings will increase to 20 people at a time for indoor and outdoor, with physical distancing of 1.5 metres (where practicable) and a maximum of one person per 4 square metres applicable.

Specific changes will apply to:

• community and local government facilities
• weddings (40 attendees indoors and outdoors)
• religious ceremonies, private worship and church services, including baptisms (40 attendees indoors and outdoors)
• funerals (50 attendees indoors and outdoors)

Household visitors: Visitors to households is increasing to 10 people at any one time (indoor or outdoor), in addition to residents of the household. As of 3pm today you can also travel to and stay at your shack. There is no limit to how long you may stay at your shack. Visitor restrictions apply to your shack as they would to your primary residence. During Stage 2 you may have up to 10 people (not including your household) visit and stay overnight at your shack.

Business restrictions: Gatherings at businesses increase to 20, with the following reopening or subject to changed restrictions:

• accommodation (no limit on the number of guests, apart from rented holiday houses/short-stay accommodation, which are limited to 20 attendees and subject to density limits. For all other venues gathering limits and the one person per 4 square meter rule applies in common areas but not in guest rooms.
• camping and caravan parks (booked sites must not exceed the maximum density limit for that site, unless those camping are all from the same household)
• function centres
• open homes and auctions
• cinemas (40 attendees per cinema)
• museums, galleries and historic sites (80 attendees)
• theatres and concert venues (40 attendees with an additional number of 20 people specified for performers)
• outdoor amusement parks, arcades and play centres
• betting shopfronts
• indoor gyms and sporting venues, including boot camps, dance studios, gymnastics and cheerleading facilities (noting at least one employee must be on premises during operating hours)
• health clubs, fitness and wellness centres, including yoga and barre
• zoos and wildlife parks (40 attendees)

Restaurant and cafe gatherings increase to 40. The restriction on the number of diners applies to the venue as a whole regardless of whether the venue has multiple separate dining rooms. Pubs, clubs and bars can open and serve food and/or drinks to seated patrons, with a gathering limit of 40. Betting services and TASkeno will be permitted in pubs, clubs and bars.

Gathering restrictions will not apply to beauty and personal care services, but the one person per four square metre rule will apply. These services include beauty therapy, massage, facials, tanning, waxing, manicure or other nail treatments, ear and body piercing, tattoos, body modification and day spas.

Sport and recreation: Camping is permitted. National parks and reserves opening, including campgrounds. The limit on day trips for exercising and travelling to within 30km of your home will no longer apply. Visit the Parks and Wildlife Service website to check which campgrounds will be open and services available this weekend.

• Park exercise equipment and playgrounds open for up to 20 people.
• Outdoor community sport to resume, with up to 20 athletes/personnel (as guided by AIS framework level B for rebooting sport).
• Indoor sport and recreation, including pools with up to 20 (as guided by AIS framework level B for rebooting sport). Showers and change rooms remain closed.

Boating: Restrictions on locations for launching recreational boats will be lifted. The limit on launching in your municipality will no longer apply. You will also be permitted to stay overnight on your boat.

Travel and quarantine: Border controls remain in place. Domestic travellers who are Tasmanian residents can quarantine in their primary residence if it is suitable. Specific conditions apply to residents of King Island, Flinders Island and the Furneaux Group of Islands. Fly-in fly-out workers may leave quarantine before they complete 14 days if it is to return interstate to their employment.

Vulnerable people: Vulnerable people are encouraged to stay home and protect their health.

Working from home: Working from home is encouraged where possible. Stay home if unwell.

June 9: High school students from Years 7 to 10 return to learning at school.

June 13: Racing resumes

Lion of the Derwent Valley passes away

Leon O'Donnell in his
navy days.

THE Derwent Valley lost one of its most passionate advocates with the death of Leon O'Donnell last weekend, aged 80. Born in 1939, he lived his early years in Maydena, served in the Royal Australian Navy and worked at Australian Newsprint Mills for many years.

He fought for the rights of returned servicemen and women, and served his community as a local government councillor and sporting administrator. He was a keen historian with a passion for Tasmania's Irish background, which he shared with the eminent Australian author Thomas Keneally.

A keen writer, he was the author of the Derwent Valley Gazette's football reports for a number of years and later provided articles on points of historical interest from the Young Irelander movement to Ikey Solomon and Betty King.

Leon died on May 31 after a long illness and was privately cremated. He is survived by his wife Carole, daughters Karen and Kelly, and their families. An obituary will be published at a later date.

Free coronavirus testing at New Norfolk

Click image to enlarge.

FREE testing for Covid-19 will be conducted at New Norfolk this weekend. While public restrictions relating to the coronavirus are being relaxed, the State Government says widespread testing remains essential in order to track and slow the spread of the disease.

Mobile testing units are making their way around Tasmania and one will be based at New Norfolk this Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, between 10am and 3.30pm. The clinic will be at Boyer Oval in Third Avenue and no bookings are required.

Tasmania has had 226 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Tasmania this year, inclduding four in the Derwent Valley. There have been 13 deaths from the virus in Tasmania.

TASMANIAN COVID-19 INFORMATION 

The government recommends testing for people with any of the following symptoms:

• fever
• runny nose
• cough
• sore/itchy throat, or
• shortness of breath

Testing is also being encouraged for:

• Anyone with respiratory symptoms, or with history of recent respiratory symptoms within the last seven days
• Hospital patients being discharged to residential aged care facilities
• Healthcare workers with or without symptoms 
• Household members of healthcare and aged care workers who are displaying symptoms
• Close contacts of confirmed cases between days 10-12 of quarantine period
• Non-essential travellers between days 10-12 of quarantine period

The Covid-19 test involves a healthcare worker taking samples with a swab from your nose and throat. The swabs will be sent away for testing. To protect themselves when they are in close contact with you, healthcare workers will wear protective equipment, including a facemask and safety goggles.

While bookings are generally required for Covid-19 testing, mobile clinics such as the one visiting New Norfolk can provide for drive-up testing without booking. People wishing to make an appointment can do so by calling the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.

Hop kiln fire investigation continues

Before-and-after image of the Hopgrove Kiln.

INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into the fire that destroyed a historic hop kiln at Lachlan on Sunday.

Crews from multiple Derwent Valley fire brigades were called to the fire yesterday afternoon to find the three-storey oast house well alight. It took crews several hours to completely extinguish the fire and they remained on scene overnight to extinguish any flare ups.

The fire investigator is continuing inquiries into the cause of the fire, which completely destroyed the century-old three-storey Hopgrove kiln.

The building was on property owned by long-term Lachlan residents Jack and Christine Lomax. It was covered by insurance and was being renovated for sale, Mr Lomax told the Mercury.

Local landscape photographer Lynette Graham has shared a photo of the oast house prior to its destruction and it has been paired with a photo taken from almost the exact same angle yesterday (above).

The kiln is believed to have been rebuilt in the 1920s and while there are much earlier references to a hop garden named Hop Grove, that farm appears to have been at Plenty.

In June 1934, R. Triffitt placed a notice in the Mercury, seeking to hire a 15-year-old boy, able to milk a cow, for a small wage and board, at Hopgrove, Lachlan.

In the 1940s the Hopgrove Estate was being managed by Mr B. Triffitt and the farm was supplying hops to Henry Jones and Co. In February 1942, the company advertised in the Launceston Examiner for a limited number of good hop-pickers at Hopgrove, with an excellent crop and good accommodation.

In a notice to hop-pickers, published in the Mercury in December 1944, H. Jones and Co advised intending applicants for hop-picking that electric light had been installed in all hut accommodation at Hopgrove, as well as Belmont and Shooters Hill at Plenty, and they should apply early for bins and reservation of huts.

A 1934 Morris truck was advertised for sale in May 1946, with good tyres and in reasonably good order. Inspection could be arranged by seeing Bartle Triffitt at Hopgrove.

In December 1951 Mr D.E. Geard advertised for fruit pickers to help harvest an "excellent crop [of] irrigated  raspberries, while two years later F.C. Geard advertised for eight fruit pickers to start after Christmas. The estate also had a long connection to the Gleeson family.

Google Maps image of the Hopgrove Kiln in 2009.

A series of photos follows from the fire that destroyed Hopgrove, one of
the last remaining hop kilns in the Lachlan area. 

Add caption

A firefighter damping down hotspots.

Roundabout roadworks coming up

LANE closures and a reduced speed limit will be in force at the roundabout at the New Norfolk Bridge from June to August while essential roadworks are carried out.

After repeated attempts to patch the several failures in the road surface surrounding the roundabout near St Brigid's Catholic School, the State Government has now funded essential maintenance and sealing to improve the condition of the surface.

Shaw Contracting will carry out the work for the Department of State Growth. The roundabout is at the intersection of the Lyell Hwy, Blair St and Montagu St, immediately south of the New Norfolk Bridge.

A spokesman said the work will strengthen and improve the condition of the road surface for all road users. Construction is scheduled to start on June 8 and will finish in August, weather permitting.

Click image to enlarge.

The work will be carried out between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, and on some Saturdays if required. There will be single lane closures and a reduced speed limit during the works. Road users have been advised to allow up to 15 minutes extra if travelling through the work site.

Major patching was carried out to the road surface at the corner of Hobart Rd and Plunkett St, last week, where this year's construction of a turning lane into Glebe St had resulted in the through traffic being forced onto the weaker shoulder of the road.

Following road surface repairs and resealing on Boyer Rd at Boyer, and between Bridgewater and Boyer in recent weeks, the Department of State Growth is now grading the shoulder along Boyer Rd. A reduced speed limit is in place, with frequent lane closures to be expected between 8am and 5pm, until June 17.

Road surface repairs have also been carried out on Hobart Rd at Sorell Creek and Granton in recent weeks.

Council to partially reopen its doors

Temporary doors remain at
the council chambers in place
of the originals.

THE Derwent Valley Council will reopen the council chambers doors to essential visitors from today. The council announced on Friday that it would open its Circle St office to the public from 10am-2pm on weekdays, for essential visits only.

The offices have been temporarily closed since March 26 as a preventative measure against the spread of coronavirus Covid-19, but services have continued to be provided.

"Council operating hours are still 8.15am-5pm, Monday to Friday, and council services can be accessed over the phone, by email or via our website. We encourage all enquiries by phone or email where possible," a spokesperson said.

COVID-19 IMPACT IN THE DERWENT VALLEY

The council has provided the following guidelines for anyone needing to visit the council chambers:

• Do not visit if you are unwell or experiencing respiratory illness symptoms
• The customer services counter will be open for interactions which cannot be completed by phone or email. For example: cash payments, collection of dog registration tags, disposal or collection of sharps containers, or viewing memorial plaques
• Sneeze guards and hygiene protocols will be in place upon arrival. Please maintain distancing requirements, follow etiquette and avoid touching surfaces where possible
• The council does not have a Justice of the Peace available. Click here to find your nearest Justice of the Peace
• Planning Clinics and development enquiries remain in place via phone and email
• If you are attending a scheduled appointment, arrive on time or wait in your vehicle if you are early.

DERWENT VALLEY COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO COVID-19