Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A motion to stop the Lichfield Council from relocating its
library to cool A Linga Central was launched for the
monthly meeting agenda last night. It's an issue which we've
spoken about since the council passed this motion to relocate
the to mian Min Community Library to cool A Linga
Central in what was described at the time as a
divisive four to three vote. Now joining me on the
(00:23):
show is the Litchfield Mayor, Doug Barden.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hi, Doug, Good morning, Katie and listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Now, what exactly happened last night?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Last night We Counselor Kevin Harlan put a notice of
motion up and to rescind the motion and to ask
for more consultation. We had about forty or more people,
probably fifty or sixty come to council old counselors. There
(00:53):
was Jerry Wood, Danny Skewes, Andrew McKay. I believe there
was two counselors watching on the on the TV.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So they all turned up to try and have their
voices heard.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, well, yes, yes, yes, yes, and no. They just
came to listen. They were very respectful. It was really,
it was really really it was good to see so
many old faces. I haven't seen a lot of these
people for a long time.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Because obviously it's an issue people feel passionately about. You know,
a lot of these people don't want that library to relocate.
What happened though? Were they allowed to stay in that
meeting or did they get kicked out? No?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
At council we have a half an hour before the
meeting where people can come and talk to all the counselors.
I allowed them to come. It was very, very hot,
and so I allowed them to come into the room,
and then I opened the meeting. Well, it's called what's
the special word? There's a special word, all right, Yeah,
(01:55):
to speak to all counselors. Jerry spoke at first, and
he basically I read out what he'd read out on
your program two or three weeks ago. Then Sandra Parker,
let's Sandra Parker CEO spoke some for, some against, mostly against.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So Doug, what ended up happening? Is this move still
going to go ahead? Well?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I believe so, yes, yep.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So there was another vote.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
There was another Yes. All counselors spoke respectfully, a bit
longer than they should have, but anyway, that's that's that's
that's the way it is. And they well they didn't
trust the Facebook posts.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, but they also so the council also had people
out at the dump asking whether you know, whether people
wanted to wanted this relocation to happen or not. Now,
I'm really I do want to talk about the fact
that you joined me on the show a couple of
weeks ago. You're opposed to this move.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh that's great.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
You had said that to me right from the get go.
You didn't think that it needed to happen, or that
there at least needed to be more consultation. Now, from
the consultation that has happened, the majority said they didn't
actually want the library to relocate. So who's supporting this relocation?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Who's pushing Well, there's seven counselors, Katie. The people that
before moving the library is Deputy Mayor Siety counselor right
Counselor Emma Sharp, and Counselor Matthew Solder. The people that
would prefer to not necessarily keeping it at to mindmen,
(03:46):
but to have better consultation was myself, Counselor Harlan who
put the motion up, and Counselor Counselor cemetary. Yes, so, Doug,
I'm gonna.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Be really bunt about it, and I can say it,
I suppose whereas you guys, you know, you're all being
quite respectful of each other. But in my opinion, if
you do a Facebook poll, if you do some consultation
out at the waste facility, and then you're asking people
and if the majority have said that they don't want
that relocation to happen or they don't know, that indicates
(04:23):
to me that the council has not actually done enough
consultation and that more needs to happen before they do
something that the community doesn't want.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Well, I have to let others judge make.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Well that's right. Yeah, But so Doug, can you put
your foot down as the mayor and go, no, this
isn't good enough. We actually we need more consultation.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It's a democracy, it's not a dictators unfortunately, surely you know.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Surely it's a situation where you go, okay, do we
need to consult here a little bit further? Is there
an option where, you know, if we're going to be
spending quite a bit of money to relocate, do we
look at having our eynes?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I sent Jerry's email to the Local Government Department for
advice on what Jerry was saying that it was against
the Local Government Act and the local and the Local
Government Department advised that, well, well.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I'm not it had done what they were supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Well, they didn't have the power to do anything.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Basically, So Doug, where to from here? From your perspective,
because I've got like, you know, like old Darwin or
old rural area, I think you'd say contacting me, going, Katie,
I cannot like, why is this going ahead?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I don't know what else we can do other than
Grin and Barrett. As an old friend of mine, Ken
Elliott would always say, when waters coming up to knee
deep in his house, all we can do is Grin
and Barrett, and he has built a new house since.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Mate, is it like? Is it a situation? Though? I mean,
are some of you being nimbi's about it? Are you going?
You know, we don't want this to move, We want
it to stay the way that it was.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well, that's the argument some people are giving. Other arguments
is that Facebook can be manipulated. I certainly agree that
Facebook can be manipulated from what I've seen in I've
never been a Facebook person until the last month or
two since this decision, and just looking at Facebook, I
don't believe that Kevin Harlan has manipulated his post. I
(06:33):
think Kevin has done a great job well.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
But also like the thing is, if people don't believe
that the poll from the Facebook post is accurate, if
people are concerned that you know that the asking of
people out at the way dump is not accurate and
that people don't know, well, that would say to me
that common sense is you need a bit more consultation.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, the race transfer station figures it should be on
our website. That was the advice that the local department
Gate said yesterday, is that these should be put on
anything that was given to us, that the five minutes
before the meeting should be put on the website. And
(07:21):
it says one hundred and sixty six said yes yes
to moving the library, one hundred and ninety seven said no,
they wanted the library to stay, and one hundred and
nine don't care. I would have put myself ten years ago.
I would have put myself in the one hundred and
nine don't care. But if a follow up question had
(07:47):
been put up, is that this is going to cost
so and so. Well, then I probably would have moved
my vote from don't care to know. Yes, Well, the
majority of people we don't want it to move, according
to the survey done at the dump and well that's
that's in black and white. I can't do anything else.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
But they're moving ahead with it regardless. Yes, well, Doug,
and it's you know it is going to still it's
going to cost money as well. You know we know
that it's going to cost money.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Well, yes, it's going to cost point nine to nine
million dollars yep, according to our municial Oh that's the
other thing, Katie, that we also had the municipal plan
come out last night.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And in the municipal plan, on page seven of the
municipal plan is it's saying that the library's going to
cost us point nine to nine million dollars, which is.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
That's just the relocation.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
No, no, no, I think per year, per year. Yep.
The previous cost of the library was three hundred and
seventy thousand dollars five hundred and fifty two to the
and the and we were getting three hundred and eight
thousand dollars two hundred and thirty four dollars back from
(09:09):
the NTG. So that was costing us in the vicinity
of sixty two thousand dollars so, and that can be
found on page eighteen and nineteen of the municipal plan.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So a rate's going to have to go up.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I don't think deal with this.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
No, someone's just texted and said, Hi, Katie. It's been
consulted on since two thousand and seventeen. Council initially passed
a motion to move it back in twenty twenty two.
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
No, The motion in twenty twenty two was to to
consider moving to find a new place for to find
a new place for the library, being in being Caller
Linger or other place, other option and the other options.
(09:57):
Last night was a really good meeting. I mean, the
public were fantastic. They they were trying to help. Fiona
Scott put up. I hope, I hope they don't mind
me mentioning their names. Gave us some history on how
the Tim mid Mint Library wanted to have, actually gave
(10:19):
us the plans of what had been done ten or
twenty years ago, being a new library beside the Tim
Midman Library's. When I voted for that motion to relocate
the library to call A Linga or other place. Well,
the only reason why I voted for that was because
(10:41):
I considered the other place to be the best option,
and that option hasn't been given to us, and that
would have been three twenty hum highway humpty do village
Green or Fiona Scott's proposal, which most people it must
have been twenty years old. Yeah, the plans yet.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Well, Doug, look, it's I guess it's going to be
interesting to see the fallout from this. But by the
look of it, it does seem as though the library
is going to move. When is that going to happen?
How quickly?
Speaker 2 (11:08):
I don't know. I think it's going to happen very quickly,
to be quite honest. It's unfortunate because this is the
It's not the result that we were it's the consultation
that we were concerned about. The Other thing that came
out of last night is that there's the draft Council
(11:29):
by laws are going to be out for community consultation
on the twenty second of April to the fourteenth of May,
and the municipal plan is out for consultation for that
period or similar period. And the exciting thing is that
the Fred's past grant plans should be coming out of
(11:51):
confidential and going going into the public as of today.
But I'm sure that we're wait for our media, all
media releases.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
We will keep an eye out for that. You and
I might have to catch up.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Again, and that's exciting news.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
It is good. Yes, Unfortunately we are going to have
to wrap up. Mate. I really appreciate your time, really
appreciate you coming into the studio on having a chat
with me. We will talk again soon, particularly about Friend's past.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
If the Labor Party or the CORP listening. We're still
wanting to move the library to three twenty Arnham Highway
or our highest priority is three twenty Arnham Highway, Litchfield Library,
Community and Business Hub. If they've got to spare five
or ten million dollars to this for this election, we'd
(12:44):
be very very pleased to to do some photo opportunities
with them and they'd be all the counselors.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Never miss an opportunity. Doug barn good on your mate.
Thank you. I really appreciate your time this morning.
A motion to stop the Lichfield Council from relocating its
library to cool A Linga Central was launched for the
monthly meeting agenda last night. It's an issue which we've
spoken about since the council passed this motion to relocate
the to mian Min Community Library to cool A Linga
Central in what was described at the time as a
divisive four to three vote. Now joining me on the
(00:23):
show is the Litchfield Mayor, Doug Barden.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hi, Doug, Good morning, Katie and listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Now, what exactly happened last night?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Last night We Counselor Kevin Harlan put a notice of
motion up and to rescind the motion and to ask
for more consultation. We had about forty or more people,
probably fifty or sixty come to council old counselors. There
(00:53):
was Jerry Wood, Danny Skewes, Andrew McKay. I believe there
was two counselors watching on the on the TV.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So they all turned up to try and have their
voices heard.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, well, yes, yes, yes, yes, and no. They just
came to listen. They were very respectful. It was really,
it was really really it was good to see so
many old faces. I haven't seen a lot of these
people for a long time.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Because obviously it's an issue people feel passionately about. You know,
a lot of these people don't want that library to relocate.
What happened though? Were they allowed to stay in that
meeting or did they get kicked out? No?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
At council we have a half an hour before the
meeting where people can come and talk to all the counselors.
I allowed them to come. It was very, very hot,
and so I allowed them to come into the room,
and then I opened the meeting. Well, it's called what's
the special word? There's a special word, all right, Yeah,
(01:55):
to speak to all counselors. Jerry spoke at first, and
he basically I read out what he'd read out on
your program two or three weeks ago. Then Sandra Parker,
let's Sandra Parker CEO spoke some for, some against, mostly against.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So Doug, what ended up happening? Is this move still
going to go ahead? Well?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I believe so, yes, yep.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So there was another vote.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
There was another Yes. All counselors spoke respectfully, a bit
longer than they should have, but anyway, that's that's that's
that's the way it is. And they well they didn't
trust the Facebook posts.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, but they also so the council also had people
out at the dump asking whether you know, whether people
wanted to wanted this relocation to happen or not. Now,
I'm really I do want to talk about the fact
that you joined me on the show a couple of
weeks ago. You're opposed to this move.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh that's great.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
You had said that to me right from the get go.
You didn't think that it needed to happen, or that
there at least needed to be more consultation. Now, from
the consultation that has happened, the majority said they didn't
actually want the library to relocate. So who's supporting this relocation?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Who's pushing Well, there's seven counselors, Katie. The people that
before moving the library is Deputy Mayor Siety counselor right
Counselor Emma Sharp, and Counselor Matthew Solder. The people that
would prefer to not necessarily keeping it at to mindmen,
(03:46):
but to have better consultation was myself, Counselor Harlan who
put the motion up, and Counselor Counselor cemetary. Yes, so, Doug,
I'm gonna.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Be really bunt about it, and I can say it,
I suppose whereas you guys, you know, you're all being
quite respectful of each other. But in my opinion, if
you do a Facebook poll, if you do some consultation
out at the waste facility, and then you're asking people
and if the majority have said that they don't want
that relocation to happen or they don't know, that indicates
(04:23):
to me that the council has not actually done enough
consultation and that more needs to happen before they do
something that the community doesn't want.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Well, I have to let others judge make.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Well that's right. Yeah, But so Doug, can you put
your foot down as the mayor and go, no, this
isn't good enough. We actually we need more consultation.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It's a democracy, it's not a dictators unfortunately, surely you know.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Surely it's a situation where you go, okay, do we
need to consult here a little bit further? Is there
an option where, you know, if we're going to be
spending quite a bit of money to relocate, do we
look at having our eynes?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I sent Jerry's email to the Local Government Department for
advice on what Jerry was saying that it was against
the Local Government Act and the local and the Local
Government Department advised that, well, well.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I'm not it had done what they were supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Well, they didn't have the power to do anything.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Basically, So Doug, where to from here? From your perspective,
because I've got like, you know, like old Darwin or
old rural area, I think you'd say contacting me, going, Katie,
I cannot like, why is this going ahead?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I don't know what else we can do other than
Grin and Barrett. As an old friend of mine, Ken
Elliott would always say, when waters coming up to knee
deep in his house, all we can do is Grin
and Barrett, and he has built a new house since.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Mate, is it like? Is it a situation? Though? I mean,
are some of you being nimbi's about it? Are you going?
You know, we don't want this to move, We want
it to stay the way that it was.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well, that's the argument some people are giving. Other arguments
is that Facebook can be manipulated. I certainly agree that
Facebook can be manipulated from what I've seen in I've
never been a Facebook person until the last month or
two since this decision, and just looking at Facebook, I
don't believe that Kevin Harlan has manipulated his post. I
(06:33):
think Kevin has done a great job well.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
But also like the thing is, if people don't believe
that the poll from the Facebook post is accurate, if
people are concerned that you know that the asking of
people out at the way dump is not accurate and
that people don't know, well, that would say to me
that common sense is you need a bit more consultation.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, the race transfer station figures it should be on
our website. That was the advice that the local department
Gate said yesterday, is that these should be put on
anything that was given to us, that the five minutes
before the meeting should be put on the website. And
(07:21):
it says one hundred and sixty six said yes yes
to moving the library, one hundred and ninety seven said no,
they wanted the library to stay, and one hundred and
nine don't care. I would have put myself ten years ago.
I would have put myself in the one hundred and
nine don't care. But if a follow up question had
(07:47):
been put up, is that this is going to cost
so and so. Well, then I probably would have moved
my vote from don't care to know. Yes, Well, the
majority of people we don't want it to move, according
to the survey done at the dump and well that's
that's in black and white. I can't do anything else.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
But they're moving ahead with it regardless. Yes, well, Doug,
and it's you know it is going to still it's
going to cost money as well. You know we know
that it's going to cost money.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Well, yes, it's going to cost point nine to nine
million dollars yep, according to our municial Oh that's the
other thing, Katie, that we also had the municipal plan
come out last night.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
And in the municipal plan, on page seven of the
municipal plan is it's saying that the library's going to
cost us point nine to nine million dollars, which is.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
That's just the relocation.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
No, no, no, I think per year, per year. Yep.
The previous cost of the library was three hundred and
seventy thousand dollars five hundred and fifty two to the
and the and we were getting three hundred and eight
thousand dollars two hundred and thirty four dollars back from
(09:09):
the NTG. So that was costing us in the vicinity
of sixty two thousand dollars so, and that can be
found on page eighteen and nineteen of the municipal plan.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So a rate's going to have to go up.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I don't think deal with this.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
No, someone's just texted and said, Hi, Katie. It's been
consulted on since two thousand and seventeen. Council initially passed
a motion to move it back in twenty twenty two.
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
No, The motion in twenty twenty two was to to
consider moving to find a new place for to find
a new place for the library, being in being Caller
Linger or other place, other option and the other options.
(09:57):
Last night was a really good meeting. I mean, the
public were fantastic. They they were trying to help. Fiona
Scott put up. I hope, I hope they don't mind
me mentioning their names. Gave us some history on how
the Tim mid Mint Library wanted to have, actually gave
(10:19):
us the plans of what had been done ten or
twenty years ago, being a new library beside the Tim
Midman Library's. When I voted for that motion to relocate
the library to call A Linga or other place. Well,
the only reason why I voted for that was because
(10:41):
I considered the other place to be the best option,
and that option hasn't been given to us, and that
would have been three twenty hum highway humpty do village
Green or Fiona Scott's proposal, which most people it must
have been twenty years old. Yeah, the plans yet.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Well, Doug, look, it's I guess it's going to be
interesting to see the fallout from this. But by the
look of it, it does seem as though the library
is going to move. When is that going to happen?
How quickly?
Speaker 2 (11:08):
I don't know. I think it's going to happen very quickly,
to be quite honest. It's unfortunate because this is the
It's not the result that we were it's the consultation
that we were concerned about. The Other thing that came
out of last night is that there's the draft Council
(11:29):
by laws are going to be out for community consultation
on the twenty second of April to the fourteenth of May,
and the municipal plan is out for consultation for that
period or similar period. And the exciting thing is that
the Fred's past grant plans should be coming out of
(11:51):
confidential and going going into the public as of today.
But I'm sure that we're wait for our media, all
media releases.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
We will keep an eye out for that. You and
I might have to catch up.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Again, and that's exciting news.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
It is good. Yes, Unfortunately we are going to have
to wrap up. Mate. I really appreciate your time, really
appreciate you coming into the studio on having a chat
with me. We will talk again soon, particularly about Friend's past.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
If the Labor Party or the CORP listening. We're still
wanting to move the library to three twenty Arnham Highway
or our highest priority is three twenty Arnham Highway, Litchfield Library,
Community and Business Hub. If they've got to spare five
or ten million dollars to this for this election, we'd
(12:44):
be very very pleased to to do some photo opportunities
with them and they'd be all the counselors.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Never miss an opportunity. Doug barn good on your mate.
Thank you. I really appreciate your time this morning.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.