Roper Gulf Shire Council Newsletter, Issue 38 - November 2011 Page 4

Roper Gulf Shire Mayor

Tony Jack

Mobile: 0428 793 132

Email: tony.jack@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Roper Gulf Shire Deputy Mayor

Clair O’Brien

Mobile: 0427 398 209

Email: clair.obrien@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Chief Executive Officer

Michael Berto

Phone: 08 8972 9008

Email: michael.berto@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Director Corporate & Community Services

Catherine Proctor

Phone: 08 8972 9020

Email: catherine.proctor@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Director Infrastructure & Technical Services

Mark Hagger

Phone: 08 8972 9034

Email: mark.hagger@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Manager Governance & Corporate Planning

Sharon Hillen

Phone: 08 8972 9004

Email: sharon.hillen@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Manager Human Resources

Julie Cook

Phone: 08 8972 9012

Email: julie.cook@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Finance Manager

Thomas Michel

Phone: 08 8972 9028

Email: thomas.michel@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Headquarters General Number: 08 8972 9000

Headquarters Fax number: 08 8971 2607

Website:

www.ropergulf.net.au

Date Time

Event Where Contact

3rd-4th November

Community Vet Visit Jilkminggan NT Vet Services 8972 3599

7th-10th November

Community Vet Visit Barunga NT Vet Services 8972 3599

11th November

Community Vet Visit Jodetluk NT Vet Services 8972 3599

11th November

Community Vet Visit Werenben NT Vet Services 8972 3599

14th-17th November

Community Vet Visit Beswick NT Vet Services 8972 3599

21st-26th November

Community Vet Visit Numbulwar NT Vet Services 8972 3599

14th December

Community Vet Visit Mulgan NT Vet Services 8972 3599

15th December

Community Vet Visit Mataranka NT Vet Services 8972 3599

16th December

Community Vet Visit Manyallaluk NT Vet Services 8972 3599

Calendar of Events 2011 Shire Contact List

For an up to date copy of our vacancies, position description and selection criteria please email:

recruitment@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Upcoming Local Board Meeting

The next Local Board Meeting dates are as

follows:

Jilkminggan:10:00am, Wednesday 2nd November

Mataranka: 5:30pm, Wednesday 2nd November

Beswick: TBA

Barunga: 10:00am, Monday 12th December

Manyallaluk: 10:00am, Wednesday 9th November

Borroloola: 10:00am, Tuesday 8th November

Bulman: 10:00am, Tuesday 8th November

Ngukurr: TBA

Numbulwar: TBA

Please note that these dates may change at short

notice due to climatic change or other circum-

stances beyond our control.

Do You Have a Story ?

Anyone can send in items for the newsletter, you don’t have to be working for the Shire. Your story has to be related to the Shire in some way. Ask your Shire Service Manager if you’re not sure how to get a story in the newsletter or e-mail Brooke on:

brooke.margettes@ropergulf.nt.gov.au

Roper Gulf Shire Council Newsletter, Issue 38 - November 2011 Page 1

Issue 38– November 2011

Newsletter

Message from the Chief Executive Officer

Michael Berto

Last month saw the Shire rewarded for some of

the great efforts put in by staff. On the 13th Octo-

ber 2011 the Shire won the 2011 Northern Territory

Landcare Awards, Local Government category.

The award also came with a monetary prize and

this will be put towards purchasing more plants.

The following day Keep Australia Beautiful

Council announced Wugularr/Beswick as the win-

ner of the 2011 Territory Tidy Towns Award. Wugu-

larr also claimed awards for its community partici-

pation and Best Medium Tidy Towns Community.

KAB chief Heimo Schober said “It must be a

Roper Gulf thing – all their towns still leapfrog

ahead.” Congratulations to all.

Another win for the Shire from Keep Australia

Beautiful went to Borroloola for a $6,000

community grant to increase beverage

container recycling. The grant funded by The

Coca-Cola foundation will help the Shire to

purchase the infrastructure for the recycling of

beverage containers. I hope this will help

encourage everyone to dispose of their recycla-

ble containers thrown into normal waste bins that

go into landfill.

I am looking forward to travelling to Hi-Way Inn

for the next Ordinary Council Meeting on the 9th

of November. The meeting is open to the public

and I welcome anyone that would like to come

and attend the meeting.

Wugularr/Beswick was the overall NT winner of

the Tidy Towns awards this year, Mayor Jack

accepted the inaugural 30th Anniversary NT Tidy

Towns Gold Cup on behalf of the Roper Gulf

Shire. The Cup will be spending a month in each

Service Deliver Centre, beginning with Mata-

ranka where it is currently on display before mov-

ing on to the next Service Delivery Centre.

Wugularr/Beswick also received awards for Best

Medium Tidy Towns Community and for its

community participation.

Congratulations to Shire Services Managers who

actively (and competitively) participate in the

Territory Tidy towns each year.

Wugularr Northern Territory’s Tidiest Town

Roper Gulf Shire Council Newsletter, Issue 38 - November 2011 Page 2

Disaster Recovery Plan

There has been some confusion by stakeholders

as to the Shires role in Disaster Recovery created

by the recent community consultations con-

ducted by the Shires consultants.

Residents are reminded that the Northern Territory

Government's Department of Chief Minister and

the Police Fire and Emergency Services Depart-

ment are responsible for Counter Disaster and

Disaster Recovery and are the only agencies with

the authority to declare a disaster or recovery

period. As the Shire has many resources and as-

sets in each Service Delivery Centre it is essential

for planning and standard operating procedures

to be developed so that the Shire can respond in

a timely and well prepared manner in case of a

disaster. Your involvement is appreciated. Once

finalised the Shires Disaster Recovery Plan will be

endorsed by Council and the Dept of Chief Minis-

ter and the Counter Disaster Committee. Our staff

will be better equipped and trained in this impor-

tant strategic focus area of Council.

You may have met Alana Keep and Andrew

Murray from Rowlands.

They are Roper Gulf

Shire’s Disaster Re-

covery Consultants and

have been travelling

around the Shire.

Roper Gulf Shire won the Local Government

Landcare Award. The award gives us a beau-

tiful original botanical painting – to be hung in

the Head Quarters as well as $500 worth of

native shade trees from Greening Australia.

The Shire took out the award due to its strong

community and government partnerships that

allowed environ-

mental strategies to

be implemented

across the shire

through a series of

projects.

RGS Wins Local Government Land Care Award

Deputy Mayor A Trained Trainer

Borroloola, Keeping Australia Beautiful

Mayor Jack and CEO Michael Berto are shown

below with a $6,000 cheque for winning the

community grant from Keep Australia Beautiful

to increase beverage container recycling in

Borroloola. The grant will allow Roper Gulf Shire

to purchase the resources needed for the re-

cycling of beverage containers, and encour-

age recycling in

public places. Re-

cycle bins will be

placed along the

main street and at

community sport-

ing events and

festivals.

Deputy Mayor Clair O'Brien accepts her Certifi-

cate IV in Training and Assessing. Shire CEO

Michael Berto and staff member Dianne Row-

bottom also completed the Local Govern-

ment Australia

Northern Territory

and Northern Terri-

tory Government

sponsored training

program.

CDEP Workready Services

Roper Gulf Shire Council CDEP Workready Ser-

vices needs your help to identify activities and

projects for CDEP Participants to undertake dur-

ing the 2012/13 financial year.

Activities and projects need to be meaningful to

the participant, their families and the greater

community. Ideas should include good training

for job seekers and safe activities that enhance

community development. Please give your ideas

to your Shire Services Manager or local CDEP Co-

ordinator before 30th November 2011.

Alternatively, ideas can be emailed to Nerine

Purton at nerine.purton@ropergulf.nt.gov.au.

Roper Gulf Shire Council Newsletter, Issue 38 - November 2011 Page 3

New Bikes For Youth

Roper Gulf Shire Youth Services department have

awarded seven Youth Pathways participants

from Ngukurr with a bike each to congratulate

them on their efforts and enthusiasm during the

commencements of the Certificate II in Construc-

tion.

All the youth involved have been gaining experi-

ence throughout their course of policies and pro-

cedures to be followed in the workplace with a

main focus on punctuality.

The new bikes are to help the youth getting to

and from work and around the community.

There will be another seven bikes heading out for

the remainder of the youth involved in the train-

ing throughout October.

Community Grants Program

This year both Roper Gulf

Shire and Victoria Daly Shire

Night Patrol employees at-

tended training at Charles

Darwin University - Rural Col-

lege Katherine. The students attended three one

week blocks of training over a three month time-

frame. The attendees gained valuable skills from

the units undertaken to graduate in the Certifi-

cate III in Community Services.

The networking opportunities have proven to be

invaluable as each Community has a different

set of issues and problems. The students spent the

days in the classroom undertaking training and

the evenings sharing and telling stories. Roper

Gulf Shire Night Patrol students undertook extra

activities whilst completing the Certificate III by

talking to their community members when back

in community and undertook a survey to gauge

what the community thinks of the Night Patrol ser-

vice.

The two final days of classroom activities saw

Roper Gulf Shire Night Patrol staff developing

their own Community Night Patrol Story. The stu-

dents then developed a short Power Point Pres-

entation which will be used to help educate the

community about the Night Patrol service.

The Night Patrol Managers are proud of the work

undertaken by the staff who attended the train-

ing and of the seven staff members who at-

tended all training and completed all tasks set to

achieve their Certificate III in Community Ser-

vices.

Night Patrol Student Complete Their Cert III

Round One 2011-12

Roper Gulf Shire Council is pleased to advise the

following organisations were successful in their

Round One applications:

• Beswick Bears Football Club – $3,000 towards

their end of season presentation night

• King Ash Bay Fishing Club – $2,240 towards the

upgrade of amenities

• Roper River Landcare Group - $3,000 towards

the purchase of a crocodile trap

Round Two applications will open in the New Year

- please contact Amanda Haigh – (Acting)

Grants Coordinator on (08) 8972 9038 or

grants.ropergulf@ropergulf.nt.gov.au for more

information.

Dog By-Laws

Keep an eye out for Roper Gulf Shire Council By-

laws Project Officer Claire Davies. Claire will be

conducting community consultations over the

month of November to identify the key issues

community members have concerns about and

advice to Council on which issues can be ad-

dressed by implementing and enforcing by-laws.

All community residents and stakeholder groups

can provide input. A sausage sizzle or refresh-

ments will be provided for those who participate.