Mark Croxford
Update for JRA members on Lanyon Drive Road Works - 2 March 2010
Last Friday I met with the Civil Engineer, and his Clerk of Works, who project manage the Lanyon Drive roadworks.
The Project Manager advises motorists could expect to experience delays until February 2011 - the life of the project. The degree of delay will vary, depending on activity and time of day. The link to the RTA website for the project is here
To minimise disruption to commuter traffic leaving and returning to Jerrabomberra there will be no road works on the existing stretch of Lanyon Drive between the Tompsitt/Lanyon Roundabout and the bridge before 9.30am, or after 4pm. While motorists will notice barriers along the side of these road works before 9.30am and after 4pm daily, these are static barriers. Motorists will not experience scheduled physical or mechanical activity nor traffic flow control operators restricting movements on the existing Lanyon Drive either side of 9.30am or 4pm.
The Project will monitor peak period traffic flow and consider possible options to help traffic flow. No commitment to a solution yet, but at least they are looking at it. No timeframe either.
I am advised ‘queue jumpers’ are contributing to the Tompsitt/Lanyon roundabout 'bottleneck'. Apparently, some motorists leaving Jerrabomberra 'queue jump' traffic on Tompsitt Drive waiting to turn left. These alleged 'queue jumpers' indicate to turn right off Tompsitt on to Lanyon then go 'full circle' on the roundabout to beat the traffic turning left. If true, this action is both inconsiderate to fellow motorists and dangerous, and results in vehicle queues inside the roundabout and cause further delays to traffic at the roundabout in both directions on Lanyon and Tompsitt Drives.
On Friday afternoon a section of Lanyon Drive from the bridge to the Tompsitt roundabout was widened (where NSW Police conduct random breath tests). This was necessary to allow the removal of the traffic island on the bridge side of the roundabout. In about one week traffic coming off Tompsitt and the roundabout will be temporarily re-routed (up to 4-months) from the existing lanes to temporary lanes created by this work. The realignment allows construction of road works necessary for new bridgework.
I am advised no road works are scheduled for the existing stretch of Lanyon Drive from the bridge to the Sheppard Street Hume that would disrupt traffic flow before the new section of Lanyon Drive opens.
I remain in regular contact with the Project Manager and will pass on information as it becomes available.
Presentation to QCC Ordinary Meeting of Council - 24 February 2010
My presentation to Council was in response to a Mayoral Minute regarding alleged comments made by a Councillor at the JRA January meeting. You can read the Mayoral Minute at Agenda Item 11.2 here
Good evening Mr Mayor, Councillors, officials
My name is Mark Croxford, I am President of the Jerrabomberra Residents Association.
I stand before you to speak agenda item Eleven Two
I am concerned that the minutes of a meeting, indeed the minutes of a meeting that I chaired are being used by this Council to take action against a Councillor because of some alleged comments made at a community meeting.
The JRA Minutes are exactly that; Minutes. They are a brief explanation of what was discussed. They are not Hansard or an exact transcript of proceedings. For one to get a full understanding of the context in which these statements were made one would need to have been present at the meeting.
By this very action I believe this Council is attempting to stifle free speech - to prevent effective communication between the community and councillors.
What message is this sending to the community, and in particular community groups?
What purpose does agenda item eleven two really achieve? Is the desired outcome to improve the behaviour of councillors? Or, is it misuse use of a process to score cheap political points? I leave that for you all to decide.
A result of this action could be that community organisations become reluctant to engage with Councillors and vice versa because things that may be said and recorded in minutes will become misconstrued and used against either party. Used against either party - by what may considered by some to be an overzealous council. A council that - if past and most recent practice is any guide - does tolerate criticism of any type from any section of the community.
How can we as community have open and frank community debate on council’s policy direction or initiatives if whenever one opens his or her mouth they wonder if they will maybe become subject of a mayoral minute?
We have seen the end to open and public discussion at council meetings with the cancellation of the long held tradition of question time. I am not aware, but am happy to be corrected if necessary, that the public has not yet been given any legitimate explanation, since council sought legal advice on the matter, for the abrupt end of question time at this council’s meetings.
Could you imaging the Australian Parliament, or the NSW Parliament doing away with question time? It is something they dare not even contemplate.
I am concerned a councillor is being criticised unnecessarily for doing no more than a councillor’s duty. To get out and meet the community, to discuss and debate community issues and concerns face to face at the real grass roots level. Instead of being castigated I believe councillor’s should be commended for speaking directly to the community whether it be on a one to one basis or in a forum such as the one noted in the mayoral minute.
I am not here to speak in defence of Councillor Rocca, she is more than competent enough to do that herself. I am speaking tonight about process and possible abuse of process. I don’t care if it has been past practice to use this method as a political weapon. It’s just not right! Mr Mayor you are better than that.
I call on the Mayor to allow Councillors the right to speak freely on issues that are of real concern to the community.
So who’s coming to the pub for a beer and a chat then, eh?
CityCARE questions unanswered - 23 February 2010
Queanbeyan City Council’s CityCARE proposal is a hot topic, and many questions remain unanswered.
Questions including: Why 5.8%, and where did this number come from? Will it be enough to meet Council’s proposed maintenance programs, and beyond?
QCC need to answer these questions and more before Queanbeyan ratepayers can make considered judgment on CityCARE.
Council say ‘do nothing’ is not an option, yet offer no alternative to CityCARE, and plan to go ahead with CityCARE regardless of community views.
Given such murkiness, Council would be wise to defer its 2010 special rate variation application, and instead develop options over the next 12 months to gain community consensus.
Council may need to revise its community plan to ensure the community does want to fund Council’s community aspirations.
Of concern is Council’s aggressive behaviour towards ratepayers, and volunteer organisations such as the Jerrabomberra Residents Association, who dare question CityCARE.
The JRA also has concerns Council is soliciting written support from sporting clubs who desperately need their facilities maintained.
Some may suggest this is morally wrong.
Council’s CityCARE proposal means many ratepayers will pay at least $100.00 extra in the first year and a greater increase each following year.
This heavy slug, to pay for 'core Council business’, on Queanbeyan’s working families could see children and seniors forced to go without.
CityCARE is hardly equitable when one considers the 20% pay increase given recently to Council senior staff.
With interest rates on the rise, CityCARE will put further pressure on ratepayers and may make Queanbeyan unaffordable for some.
Tell the JRA your views on QCCs proposed CityCARE Levy - 27 January 2010
The JRA has been invited to participate in a QCC Residents and Ratepayers Forum on 16 February to discuss Council’s proposed CityCARE Levy.
To help the JRA better represent the residents of Jerrabomberra at the Residents and Ratepayers Forum I encourage you share your views on the proposed CityCARE Levy with the JRA committee before Friday 12 February.
CLICK HERE to tell the JRA committee your views on CityCARE.
If you have not seen QCCs CityCARE information booklet you can download a copy HERE.
Ratepayers need more information about CityCARE - 26 January 2010
Something’s not right when 70 per cent of residents say they were not aware of Queanbeyan City Council’s proposed 5.8 per cent CityCARE levy.
Council’s $1m-plus a year 15-year cash grab proposal was dropped among pre-Christmas junk-mail. Why, with such significant impact on Queanbeyan, was information not sent direct to ratepayers?
Over the last two Saturday’s the Jerrabomberra Residents Association spoke individually to over 100 families at the Jerrabomberra Village Shopping Centre to gain views on CityCARE.
The majority of residents criticised the lack of information from Council.
QCC want a $1m-plus a year from ratepayers, on top of maximum annual rate increases, to fund three 5-year asset maintenance and renewal programs for roads, footpaths and parks.
Council say CityCARE will, on average, cost residential ratepayers $51.63 a year or 99 cents a week, using the 2009-10 average residential rate of $890.17.
Jerrabomberra makes up 25 per cent of Queanbeyan’s population, and residents say they pay 2-3 times QCCs claimed average rate.
Many streets lack footpaths, most roads are new and we have little, if any, sporting facilities infrastructure.
Now Council is asking us to pay for the upkeep of things we don’t have.
Jerrabomberra ratepayers say they don’t want their rates aligned with other NSW regional centres.
Most residents moved here from Canberra, and most travel there for work.
Compare apples with apples, don’t compare us to Orange.
Residents believe their rates already pay for the activities covered in the proposed CityCARE levy.
So where is our money going, if not already into the upkeep of infrastructure?
Ratepayers need a lot more information before they can support CityCARE.
NOTE: If Council's proposed 5.8% levy increase on top of maximum allowed annual rate increase is approved it will likely exceed CPI and annual wage increases of most Jerrabomberra residents.
Edwin Land Parkway extension on display
Queanbeyan City Council has finally released the plans for the Edwin Land Parkway (ELP) extension from Numeralia/Stringybark Drive through to Old Cooma Road. This will provide Jerrabomberra residents with quicker access to Karabar and Queanbeyan. Construction is planned to begin before Christmas and should be completed by the end of 2010.
Whilst the JRA welcomes the additional entry/exit point and looks forward to finally alleviating traffic numbers on Morella Ave, our association does have some concerns.
The JRA has long held the view that the ELP should remain a local (two lane) road and despite the Googong/Tralee Traffic Study concurring, the plans have been designed to incorporate future upgrades to dual carriage ways. The JRA believes Dunns Creek Road should fulfill the role of a Queanbeyan Bypass and will continue to advocate for its construction.
We are deeply concerned that a signaled pedestrian crossing from the Park to the Jerrabomberra Shopping Village hasn’t been considered as part of the design process. The impact on this crossing point will undoubtedly be enormous and safety concerns must be alleviated prior to the opening of the ELP extension.
It is pleasing to see that the plans have incorporated wildlife underpasses however it is unlikely these will be effective without fencing to channel fauna towards them, however Council have assured us that the fences are just missing off the plans that have been released to the community.
Whatever your thoughts, it’s important that anyone with concerns or suggestions have a say during the consultation period. The plans are available on the Council website and are also on display at the Jerrabomberra Shopping Village. Council will run an information session at the Jerrabomberra Community Centre on 29 October 2009 from 6-7.30pm. Submissions close 13 November 2009.
Car Park Chaos continues.....
On 24 June, new road directional markings and signage were installed at the Jerrabomberra Village Shopping Centre. Since this time, the changes have caused centre patrons great confusion as the engineer who designed which way the arrows went clearly had never been to the shopping centre. Consequently, the shopping centre car park is now dangerous with many patrons ignoring them.
Taking onboard the large number of concerns from residents, the JRA have requested that Council and the Centre Management urgently respond to fix this issue. It is now September, and Council are still waiting on revised plans to go to the October traffic committee meeting, before anything will be fixed. This is unacceptable; surely things can happen faster, particularly when it comes to residents’ safety. The Police cannot enforce the rules, as the car park has not been gazetted.
Residents of Jerrabomberra would no doubt have noticed recently local members of our community asking for pledges of support for the Jerrabomberra Community Bank® Project. The Community Bank® Project fits several of our main objectives and is worthy of our association’s support.
As such, the JRA has made available our notice boards to the Jerrabomberra Community Bank® Project. Soon you will see information that will show you how you can lend your support and help get our very own Community Bank®. The Jerrabomberra Community Bank® Steering Committee is currently offering a small taste of things to come by offering $5000 worth of grants up to $1,000 each.
I would urge all Jerrabomberra residents to get behind and support this really great community project. If you’d like to support the Jerrabomberra Community Bank® Project you can contact Brian Brown on 6299 9613 or visit their website at www.jerracb.com.au
Jerrabomberra community ‘bypassed’ in Traffic Study
The Queanbeyan City Council recently approved the Draft Queanbeyan Transport Study and renamed it the Queanbeyan Traffic Plan. Unfortunately the Council decided to approve the plan ‘in principle’ without any public or community input whatsoever. Its therefore hardly surprising that the Plan has failed to consider two key election issues Queanbeyan residents put to Councillors less than a year ago; to remove trucks from the main street and to build Queanbeyan a 'real' bypass.
Instead the report recommends, by excluding the Northern Bypass and Dunns Ck Rd, that the Edwin Land Parkway (ELP) and Ellerton Drive Extension will be the only Queanbeyan Bypass. This will mean traffic diverted from the CBD, from Googong and traffic transiting from the ACT to the coast will all be funnelled through the middle of Jerrabomberra. Jerrabomberra residents already know the problems with Lanyon Drive and why it needed duplication, it therefore beggars belief that the ELP, as suggested in the study, can remain two lanes for very long!
What was particularly disappointing at the Council meeting was when the Mayor and three Councillors who reside in Jerrabomberra voted to support the report in principle, when only nine moths earlier at the Council elections they unanimously supported both Dunns Ck Rd and the Northern Bypass!
On the night we were also told that Council wouldn’t be considering any additional scenarios as it will hold up the rezoning process. However, after strong representations by the community, Council finally agreed to hold a community meeting, which will now be held at Jerrabomberra on 14 July at the Jerrabomberra Achhol Hall commencing at 6pm.
It is the JRA’s position that Jerrabomberra must not become a by-pass for Queanbeyan. It is true that the ELP has been on a map since 1973, however this is prior to the approval of Jerrabomberra and the subsequent approval of Googong. To quote the previous NSW Planning Minister “It may have been a good idea and a bypass thirty years ago, but it’s not a bypass anymore and its certainly not a good idea”.
Severe traffic congestion in Jerrabomberra will divide our suburb in two and subject our residents to the same dangers that currently exist in Monaro St. Queanbeyan deserves a ‘real’ bypass and the Mayor and Councillors should commit to their promises and not just shift the traffic woes from one part of Queanbeyan to another. We must have a ‘real’ bypass for all of Queanbeyan and that is why Dunns Ck Rd is so critical.
Jerrabomberra Woolworths targets better service
The JRA met recently with the Woolworths Regional Manager Anthony Dalgleish regarding the performance of the Jerrabomberra store. The JRA are concerned that many local residents may be choosing to shop elsewhere due to service problems, prices, stock quality and declining name brands and that this reduction of trade could impact on the viability of other shops in the centre. We are adamant that we do not want to lose our smaller local businesses in the centre.
Mr Dalgleish acknowledged having some service issues and he has assured us he is endeavouring to fix them. 'Waiting 25 minutes on a Saturday afternoon to buy 2 items at the express check out was unacceptable' he said. Mr Dalgleish explained that whilst the Jerrabomberra store is a third smaller than its Queanbeyan counterpart, its prices are the same. However the JRA noted that some of the product lines are only available in smaller quantities that are generally unsuitable and more expensive for families. Considering Jerrabomberra’s predominant demographic is young families, this is a major concern.
The JRA committee have so far been impressed with Woolworth’s first steps to lift their standards and we have seen genuine attempts by management to continue these improvements. Woolworths have said they are 110% committed to resolving these problems.
Consequently, Anthony Dalgleish will be our guest at the Jerrabomberra Community Centre at 7.30pm on Wednesday 17 June and all Jerrabomberra residents are more than welcome to attend. This will provide an opportunity for the Jerrabomberra community to voice their concerns and suggest ways they believe the Jerrabomberra Woolworths could better serve the local community. If you would like the store to stock specific product lines or have a suggestion to make our local shops better then this is your opportunity.
Check out the JRA notice board next to Woolworths for more information on how you can help the JRA help the community.
Meet the Airport @ Jerra
Jerrabomberra Community Centre, 15 April 7.30pm – mark it in your diary to come along to the April meeting of the Jerrabomberra Residents’ Association (JRA). If you only attend one meeting all year then make it this one. Everyone’s invited and you don’t have to be a JRA member to attend and have your say.
Why is this meeting so important?
Management from Canberra Airport will be our guest speakers and they’ll be making a presentation explaining exactly what their plans are in relation to transforming Canberra Airport into a 24/7 international freight hub.
The 2009 Preliminary Draft Master Plan (PDMP) that describes their proposal is currently out for public consultation. However, not much seems to have changed from their 2008 version that was severely rebuked and ultimately rejected by the Minister for Transport, Mr Albanese due to its lack of information on many technical, development and community issues. A significant issue, particularly for Queanbeyan/Jerrabomberra, was the unsatisfactory public consultation process.
However, our major concern is the airports total indifference to communities around the region that have been requesting an 11pm to 6am curfew. Extending the runway south making planes lower over Jerrabomberra, removing some noise abatement procedures if Tralee is approved, an additional parallel runway and their desire to become Sydney’s second airport; these are just some of our other concerns.
This is your chance to provide the airport with your concerns and tell the airport management directly that we, like the residents of
If you can’t make the meeting, you can make a written submission on their plans. The PDMP can be found on the
Quarry vibrations - the last blasts???
At 12.48pm on 23 Sep 08, residents in the vicinity of Homestead Rise Jerrabomberra experienced a significant seismic event originating from the quarry. In response to our letter to Council, the quarry owners CEMEX invited the JRA to the quarry for a tour and briefing and to understand our concerns.
The quarry is located behind Jerrabomberra on Old Cooma Road and has been in operation since 1940’s, they supply concrete aggregate and construction materials to civil contractors – dacite and premium grade granite. The quarry provided more than 50% of the materials for the construction of the new Parliament House.
CEMEX were keen to understand our concerns regarding the tremors we feel from quarry blasts and in particular the events of 23 Sep 08. To this end, CEMEX have agreed to place a temporary blast monitor at a residence in Homestead Rise to record the next series of blasts to see just what we are experiencing.
In relation to concerns raised on the possible use of
The quarry is nearing the end of its life as its permits expire in 2015. CEMEX are starting to prepare an ‘end of use plan’ for the site and have assured us that the Queanbeyan community (including the JRA) will be included in discussions.
Finally, the JRA would like to publicly thank CEMEX for being open and transparent by making all their blast reports available and demonstrated what it is to be good corporate citizen.
You’ve joined the Jerrabomberra community, now join the JRA!
We keep in constant contact with all incumbent local politicians, regardless of their political persuasion, and work closely with them for the betterment of Jerrabomberra and its residents. We often invite the Mayor and our local State and Federal representatives to speak at our meetings and it is through this frank and informal contact that the JRA is able to achieve so many positive outcomes for our community.
The JRA was instrumental in securing a “resident friendly” proposal for the rezoning of the Jerrabomberra Valley that should see a secondary school opening in 2011. At the JRA’s strong insistence an aquatic centre has also been proposed along with a host of recreation facilities including sports fields. Other, less noticeable, efforts of the JRA include the constant watch on graffiti and elevating the police presence in the Jerrabomberra area.
Being a member of the JRA gives you the opportunity to make a significant and positive contribution to your community. If you’re a resident of Jerrabomberra (postcode 2619) you can join. Membership costs $10 for a family or $5 for individuals. Your membership provides the Jerrabomberra community with a strong and unified voice. A voice that is heard!
Membership entitles you to monthly JRA minutes which provide relevant information on issues that affect our community. You don’t need to attend any meetings, arrange events or even write letters (that’s what your elected JRA committee does!); it’s about knowing that your concerns are being heard and you’re helping your local community.
Join the JRA now!
