Minutes of the Berry Forum Meeting
Held on 8th June 2017 7.30pm at the School of Arts

Present: 108 attendees including State Member Gareth Ward & Councillors John Wells and Patricia White.
Minutes from last meeting: Approved

Welcome (David Carter, Chairman)

Berry Bypass Progress (Shannon Chisholm, Fulton Hogan)

  • The Austral Park interchange, with on and off ramps for access to Donavan Road (the old highway), will open when the Bypass opens.
  • Work is continuing rapidly on the KV bridge area, and residents should expect some disruption whilst the roundabouts and on and off ramps are finished.
  • Opening of the Victoria Street roundabout and on ramp for local southbound traffic is imminent
  • During construction of the Woodhill Mt Rd roundabout, North St will temporarily be closed.
  • The Bypass Bridge Walk will take place on Sunday 18 June. Celebrations will commence at 9:30 with presentations by Fulton Hogan and Garth Ward and the walk will operate from 10:15-12:30 from KV Bridge. Rotary will hold a gold coin donation in aid of the District Park nature-based playground.

Gareth Ward
Expressions of interest for the contract for Albion Park Rail bypass are being sought.
The DA for the new Ambulance Station in Berry has been lodged with Council.
Upgrades to Shoalhaven Hospital are completing in the Emergency, Suicide Prevention and Age Care areas.

Berry District Park (James Robinson)
A stakeholder workshop held in April with representative from all major interest groups agreed a new Master Plan to be tabled with Council with a request for funding of detailed design work.
The plan was shown to the meeting, with the support of Rotary, the sporting groups and Clr John Wells, and was endorsed. The Forum will now seek adoption of the Master Plan by Council.
Special mention was made of the work performed by Council staff, Bonnie Hittmann & Liliana Hutchinson.

Green Bronze Plaque Project (Annette Frohling)
The bronze circular plaques are now in place on a number of historical buildings in Berry. This project has been funded by a tourism Grant from Council. The National Museum of Australia is interested in following up on the project.

Council Rates for 2017/18 (Stuart Coughlan)
The background to the upcoming increases and the effect of land revaluations were explained.
Residents can use the Rates Calculator on Council’s website to see how their rates will rise.
The State Government has postponed the introduction of the Fire Levy.

General Business
Rick Gainford raised concerns about the proposed extensions to the Bangalee Motel. He proposed a motion that: “the Berry Community Forum write to the Shoalhaven City Council requesting Council hold a public meeting on the current DA17/1359 – that is for an additional 16 rooms at the Bangalee Motel. We request that this be in July and the date be decided quickly so it can be promoted in the July Town Crier.”
The motion was approved in a unanimous vote and the result will be communicated to Council.
Stuart Coughlan pointed out that the applicant had not responded to an invitation to address the Forum and that the Committee had been informed by Council that he had also not responded to their request for a meeting and additional information relating to his application..

Meeting closed at 8:55 pm
Next Meeting will be on Thursday 17 August.