I watched the Scenic Rim Regional Council’s special meeting on June 10 with a mixture of disbelief and dread.
The meeting, to discuss whether council should proceed with a water park arts project in Beaudesert, was in some ways farcical.
There seems to be more focus on nit picking procedural issues to do with running the meeting than actually looking at what might be best for the residents of the Scenic Rim.
I actually think the water park idea is fantastic – I would love to see it go ahead, when council can afford it.
That time, from the little I can discern from council’s current year financial situation is not now.
Nor is it the time for councillors to be spending on conferences.
Nor is it appropriate for councillors to be making comments like “it is not a lot of money in the scheme of things”.
No, it probably isn’t a lot of money if it isn’t coming out of your own pockets, but whether it is $3500 for a conference or $470,000 for a water park or arts project, I’m sure many residents of the Scenic Rim would argue that they are large sums of money.
In an economy where people are truly struggling with the basics, how can councillors make that comment?
It is disrespectful, thoughtless and smacks of entitlement.
I’m no financial genius, but as someone who has run a household budget and a small business, when things are looking grim you trim things where you can – the ‘small’ things add up (I have yet to have a $3500 small thing in my personal budget but I live in hope).
If the same was applied to council’s budget maybe we would be better off when the inevitable rate rise comes around.
I’m ready to take bets on what this will be – my guess is 10 per cent minimum – brace yourselves.
