It didn’t take very long for someone to fire the first shot ahead of the council elections in September. All Campbelltown Council councillors received an email from anonymous “Voting Residents’’ wishing them a Happy New Year, before proceeding to advise them of their duty to do the right thing by the town.
“There are big decisions to consider this year, not only for yourselves but for our community,’’ Voting Residents write in the email to councillors.
They take aim at how council is spending money on infrastructure and community facilities and list commuter car parking and personnel changes at the top as some of the big issues in the election.
As the Chinese say, we are set to live in interesting times in 2020.
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The Ingleburn chamber will be the first local business group out of the blocks in 2020.
Dubbed by this media outlet as the “little chamber that could’’ after netting the Prime Minister a couple of years back as their guest speaker, Ingleburn have gone on the front foot and announced the guest speakers for the February and March meetings.
Greg Warren, Campbelltown Labor MP and opposition Western Sydney spokesman (pictured below) will take the microphone on February 12, while on March 11 a member of the Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria will discuss their controversial cemetery plan for Varroville.
Before that, on January 24, the Ingleburn chamber will hold a meeting with Campbelltown Council and TAFE NSW to discuss plans of upgrading the business premises in the main street of Ingleburn.
Visit the chamber website here for more information.
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Media releases can sometimes be really useful, but not in the way you’d expect.
For example, one about Campbelltown Council’s Connected Communities Fund revealed what the themes of the bicentennial being organised for 2020.
Planning for it started several years ago when it was realised that in 1820 NSW governor Lachlan Macquarie created the township of Campbelltown.
Well, 2020 is here and nobody really knows what will happen as part of marking the bicentennial milestone.
But hang on, here’s what the media releases says about it: The themes are our rich aboriginal history, bicentennial milestones and future aspirations of the city.
OK, right, sounds like we’ve got everything covered.
It may interest one of our biggest readers, Frank Ward, pictured below, who wants a real celebration of Campbelltown’s 200 years as a town.
“I was wondering if anyone has contacted Lisa Wilkinson the TV star about being involved in the promotion of the Bicentennial as her family, the Wilkinson were very early residents and she went to Campbelltown High with my daughter,’’ Frank wrote in his note to the South West Voice.
“To have someone like her with her roots in the town would be worth a fortune. Maybe if they read the history of the 150th anniversary they may get some ideas.’’
Well, says the mayor, George Brticevic, in the media release: “If you’ve got a fantastic idea to help us celebrate Campbelltown 2020 then we want to see it happen.’’
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We received a note from a reader about their “concern over the lack of air-conditioning at Thomas Reddall high school’’.
I was shocked to see that the school is continuing to update their landscaping while the students swelter in the hot months.
Thank you, Steven.
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And then we got this note from another reader: Hi Eric: I totally agreed with your assessment re Campbelltown Art Gallery Fisher’s Ghost competition. It is appalling that the judges choose items that are not in the true sense art. So many lovely artworks overlooked. It is happening everywhere, unfortunately.
Thanks, Lee.
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Two fireworks displays having been cancelled, Campbelltown Council has a few spare bob lying around.
It is understood council is reviewing suggestions on how to use the money to help our incredible fire fighting men and women.
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In another nice gesture, all RFS volunteer fire fighters can access the Y NSW pools and gyms free of charge this summer. Firies don’t have to be a Y member for free admission. Mt Annan Leisure Centre (pictured below) is one of the participating centres.
