Published on Thursday, 31 August 2023 at 12:44:16 PM
Congratulations and welcome to our new Councillors, Kerrie Mott and Peter McDougall who were elected at the by-election on 15 July 2023. The newly elected councillors filled vacancies created by the departure of two Councillors in February 2023.
Under the guidance of the NT Electoral Commission, Katherine Town Council ran the July by-election, which was a first for us — well done to the staff who coordinated such a smooth and efficient process. Engaging constituents in the voting process can be challenging, so in the lead-up to the by-election, we reached out to voters with a fun quiz to determine who we are talking to in the community. We did this initially by working with a survey group to break down the community into its sectors, those among us fit into four groups, blow-ins, residents, locals, and, rarest of all, Katherinites. Thank you to the 255 people who filled in the survey. You can see the results here.
As the new financial year unfolds, we will roll out a substantial works program to maintain our municipality’s safety, appeal, and liveability. Ratepayers have a right to know how the Council spends its budget, so whilst I encourage you to browse our recently released municipal plan, we are investigating some innovative technologies to bring this to you in an easier, more user-friendly format. So, stay tuned!
The council recycling trial, which started in June, is going well. We are now making plans to extend it to the whole town. There are many positives to come from recycling, but the most imminent is the reduction in rubbish going to landfill. Katherine’s waste pit has about a decade left before it needs to be capped and another location used. A new facility will be expensive, and recycling will buy more time to allow new technologies to deal with waste, so moving might be avoided. In the spirit of recycling and being vigilant about waste, last month we let you know that we are moving to paperless rates starting next year. So, ensure you get us your email or mobile phone number to receive your rates electronically. You can talk to our team at reception if you don’t have online access.
We recently finished a review of our Visitor Information Centre and learned more about what our visitors want. We heard loud and clear that they wanted more to do around town on weekends. Having something to see and do, and somewhere to eat on weekends is key to encouraging tourists to extend their stay and inject more into our local economy. We have taken that feedback on board and plans are in action to help the town deliver – so watch this space!
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