This month the weather is starting to cool in the mornings with a couple of late storms. The rural residents will be getting ready to put fire breaks around their boundaries ready for the fire season. It has been a fairly busy month with a number of exciting events for Katherine. We had the naming of the Dog Park in Lindsay Street to the Andrew Wilson Dog Memorial Park. Andrew was an employee of K.T.C. for many years and was instrumental in organising the building of the park. There was an art exhibition at the Godinymayin centre with artists from Ngukurr and also our own Kym Scott who had a theme of childhood memories.
We had the launch of the Tidiest Street Competition. It is open to all residents as well as Rural properties. Please see the KTC website for information.
Katherine had a visit from the Governor General – His Excellency the Honourable David Hurley and his wife. Also the Minister of Veteran Affairs – Darren Chester and his wife. Our visitors were part of the Anzac Day Parade as well as the morning tea at the Golf Club. There was a civic reception at the Godinymayin Centre as well and was attended by a number of organisations who had a chance to meet with the Governor General.
I attended the Local Government conference in Darwin. A number of issues were raised in particular the shortage of housing both for our town and also the regional centres. A medal was presented to our former Mayor Fay Miller from the Administrator – her Honour Vicki O’Halloran. The Australian Bureau of Statistics did a presentation of the upcoming Census. They are looking for staff so if anyone is interested please contact KTC for information. There are also a number of jobs available in Katherine in particular hospitality, agriculture, shop assistants etc just to name a few, I have had a number of businesspeople who have expressed their concern about not being able to get staff. Our two Doctors Clinics are now up and running which will take the pressure off the hospital and also help the residents that were travelling to Darwin for their health care.
Katherine Town Council donated a book to all the schools in Katherine for Anzac Day instead of a wreathe.
Oval 2 Sportsgrounds Resurfacing Update
The turf on Oval 2 has been laid and the project is currently in the establishment stage. This is estimated to take eight (8) weeks.
Bookings for oval 2 is anticipated for mid-June 2021.
Sportsgrounds Pavilion Update
PROJECT BRIEF SCOPE The scope of works include;
Demolition of the existing building - COMPLETED
Earthworks - COMPLETED
Laying of Underground Services (Electrical and Hydraulics) – IN PROGRESS
Main Building works, including hardscape to its perimeter, shading awning and landscaping works
The main building includes 4 x Change rooms, Male & Female Toilets, Outdoor Function Space, Kitchen, Offices, Storerooms, First Aid Room, Comms Room and Cleaners Room
Upgradation to Electrical and Hydraulic works
New landscaping works around the building
The project is anticipated to be completed by Early 2022.
Hot Springs Car Park Update
The tender for Hot Springs Car Park is closed and is currently under review. The project consists of remedial works including signage and resurfacing.
This project is grant funded.
Katherine ANZAC Day Recap
The Katherine ANZAC Day commemorations were well attended by the community with over 800 participants at the Dawn Service and 15 community groups participated in the March with plenty of viewers.
Katherine had the honour of having His Excellency the Governor General David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Linda at the March.
Thank you to the Royal Australian Air Force and RSL Sub-Branch for making this event happen.
Conference Room Hire - Library
The Katherine Public Library has a hireable conference room with a 14 seat conference table and full zoom capabilities.
Please contact Katherine Town Council directly to book, or visit the library for a tour.
The library space has slowly been undergoing redevelopment with more new changes to come. This includes painting, furniture and displays.s.
Library Children Programs
Katherine Public Library's Toddler Rhyme Time, Storytime & Wriggle & Rhyme continue to provide a weekly outing for parents and their children to engage in singing, dancing, rhymes and stories that promote literacy and social skills.
Festivals of the Dry
Download a copy of the Festivals of the Dry Brochure here and starting planning your dry season!
Katherine Tidy Streets Competition
Katherines Tidy Street competition is officially open.
The competition has been developed to encourage the community to help keep Katherine beautiful. Your participation will help beautify local streets, show pride in the neighbourhood and build community connectedness.
The competition falls into two (2) categories residential and rural. The residential competition requires a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of 20 houses per entry and these properties must be adjoining or adjacent in the same street.
To enter the competition head to the Katherine Town Councilwebsite, here you can submit your entry via web form or download a copy. For more information regarding the competition click here.
Thanks to the following for your generous donations; Member for Katherine Jo Hersey MLA, Katherine Town Council Mayor Mrs Elisabeth Clark and Katherine Town Council Alderman Matthew Hurley.
Thanks to the above donations the competition prizes are below.
Residential - (to be divided equally across registered participants)
1st prize:
$2,000 &
Signage acknowledging them as the winners of the Tidiest Street Competition
2nd Prize:
$1,000
OR
Rural
1st Prize:
$200 &
Signage acknowledging them as winners of the Tidiest Rural Property
2nd Prize:
$100
The competition closes Wednesday 30 June 2021.
For more information contact Katherine Town Council on 08 8972 5500 or email contactus@ktc.nt.gov.au
School Holiday Program
Katherine Public Library ran a successful range of activities over the April school holidays. Gratefully funded by the NT Government the library was able to engage a wide range of the community in events that were both fun and promoted a sense of community.
Dungeons & Dragons Demo was facilitated by a group of regular library users that play the fast-paced fantasy game every week. Students aged 13 years plus were able to be mentored in the finer aspects of the game with much imagination and strategy learnt over the session.
Morning tea and lunch was provided with the session running much longer than planned because everyone was having such a great time. The Library would like to thank Kieran Collins, Vinni Scarfo, Peter MacDougall, Zac Finden & Tom Dowie for volunteering their time to pass on the skills of the game.
The Storytime session was based around Dragons in direct relation to local resident Catherine Bowman and her children’s picture book “Ember the Dragon”. Children and parents were able to listen to the authors reading of the book then do a range of Dragon crafts with everything from sock puppets, dragon eggs and making dragons.
Giant games in the Town Square whilst small was well received and saw parents, grandparents and children of all ages participate in giant chess, giant checkers, giant Jenga, corn hole & Connect-4.
The library is very grateful to Headspace for providing a sausage sizzle and the council depot workers for erecting the shade sails and helping to set up and pack up.
Watch this space for more Giant Games.
NOTICE TO PUBLIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS AND CHARITIES
In accordance with the Local Government Act 2019, Section 222(1)(g) from 30 June 2022, Public Benevolent Institutions (PBIs) will be required to register with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) to be eligible for a rate exemption with their local Council.
If you do not register your organisation with the ACNC, you will lose your current exemption status and will no longer be eligible for an exemption on your land rates.
From the 30 June 2022, your organisation will be required to apply for the rates exemption on an annual basis with Katherine Town Council. Confirmation of your registration with the ACNC needs to be provided to Council in writing by no later than 30 June of every year.
Council encourages your organisation to ensure that you are registered with the ACNC from 1 July 2021 to assist and prepare for the transitional requirement of the Local Government Act 2019.
Please note, ACNC registration does not guarantee an exemption with Council. Land under the care and control of your organisation must still meet other eligibility requirements, such as the land must be used for non-commercial purposes.
Non-commercial purposes do not include land being used for residential purposes by employees or contractors of a PBI or a public charity.
Furthermore, in deciding whether the land is used for a commercial or non-commercial purpose, whether the user is a PBI or a public charity is irrelevant, the question is to be decided according to the nature of the use and not the nature of the user.
This requirement excludes the 2021/2022 rating period and only applies to 2022/2023 and onwards.
If you wish to obtain further information, please contact Katherine Town Council on 08 8972 5500 or email records@ktc.nt.gov.au
25 May Ordinary Meeting of Council 20201
6:00 pm | 25 May | Civic Centre
The agenda will be available the Thursday before the meeting via the Councils website.
