A dozen or more Cove locals endured the drizzly rain and the badly deteriorating Bucketts Way to attend last Wednesday's MidCoast Council meeting in Gloucester. The effort was wholly unrewarded. To suggest that the experience was underwhelming and uninspiring would give it considerably more credit than it deserves.
There were two speakers for, then two against the ramp recommendations. Council's attention though seemed focused on a fax. This came in during the speeches and advised that MidCoast Water was to be dissolved with effect from today (July 1).
After one further speaker on another topic, consideration of the agenda began. The first six items lasted about three minutes in total. "I have read the papers and agree to the recommendations proposed" does not take very long to say. There is no discussion because there are no Councillors. The Directors are present but do not get invited to speak.
Item 7 was on the Cove Boat Ramp. There was a brief acknowledgement of the speakers but the recommendations, as with the previous items, were accepted as is.
A few minutes later the bulk of the rest of the agenda (which included some late reports) was finalised in the same manner. The ordinary folk were then ejected while Council considered some issues in closed session.
The minutes went on the Council website on Friday afternoon. They take longer to read than the meeting itself. The section concerning the Cove is as follows:
108/17 RESOLVED (Turner) (as per recommendation)
1. Based on the report developed by RHDHV, and citing the significant costs and associated impacts of constructing a boat launching facility (specifically, a boat ramp) at Medina Bay, it is recommended that no boat ramp be constructed in this location.
2. That no publicly owned land within the Village Zone (RU5) of North Arm Cove is dedicated to the development of a boat ramp.
3. That Council staff liaise with the RMS (Boating Now program) to undertake a bathymetric study of alternate sites for a boat ramp outside the Village Zone (RU5).
What a waste of money when
What a waste of money when Council knew all along that the costs for the proposal could not be funded.
On the positive side looking at other locations could be a possibility like Beauty Point which is a good site for most tides.