MidCoast Council ratepayer Sue Hinshelwood is wondering how many residents received notification about Monday’s community update meetings after the event had been held.
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Ms Hinshelwood is disappointed she only learned about the Keeping up with Council meeting which was held in Forster – today (October 27), three days after the event.
“I live in Forster and just received my rate notice this afternoon, Thursday 27 October, with an enclosure called Keeping up with Council,” she emailed to the Great Lakes Advocate.
“In it we were informed of a community update meeting which had been held in Forster on Monday, October 24.
“I rang council but was told they were not responsible for how long Australia Post took to deliver mail.
“I wonder how many other residents missed out on an opportunity to be kept informed of what is happening in our local area?
“I also wonder if council will schedule another meeting for those residents who missed out on the meeting.”
Ms Hinshelwood said she did watch local television news, but did not buy the local newspaper.
She questioned council’s methods of communicating upcoming events to ratepayers, asking if it was their way of keeping numbers down at meetings.
“Don’t send it (newsletter) out after the event; get it in the mail earlier.”
While Ms Hinshelwood said she didn’t have any particular issues to raise at the meeting, she was interested in getting an update on the merger process, the potential special rate variation council’s financial position.
Council corporate and business system director Steve Embry extended an apology and an invitation to Ms Hinshelwood to attend a special meeting to discuss the same agenda on November 16.
“This was unfortunate,” Mr Embry said.
He said council endeavoured to keep the community informed through media releases and other means, but there were certain times when this did not work.
Residents who do not pay their rates quarterly also would have missed the newsletter sent out with the rates, he said.
He explained the newsletter was planned three months in advance, printed, sent to a mailing house and distributed through Australia Post.
However, all those residents who did not receive notification in time for the meeting would be invited to attend the November meeting along the members of the business community, he said.
