You could have heard a pin drop in Young’s Town Hall on Tuesday night as the last of the community forums discussing Young’s possible future took place.
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An estimated 120 residented turned up for the meeting, the serious faces reflecting concerns around what impacts a merger with Boorowa and Harden shires would have on the town and district.
Among those present on the night were eight Young councillors, council directors, Boorowa mayor Wendy Tuckerman, Cootamundra mayor Jim Slattery and representatives from Harden.
They all gathered at 7pm as Young’s general manager Peter Vlatko, slide-by-slide in a presentation, explained the various options.
What followed was more than an hour of questions from members of the community and councillors expressing their views, concluding a total two hours of discussion.
“What I got from it was people are serious about the options and if we are going to merge, how are we going to manage it?” Mr Vlatko said the following day.
Tuesday night was the culmination of a month of community consultations that also took place in local villages.
Since the Independent Local Government Review panel proposed Young merge with Boorowa and Harden in April 2013, there’s been meetings between the three councils, a steering committee formed, consultants hired to explore options and the Hilltops Report released to the public in January this year.
Four options have been put forward for Young - including maintaining the status quo but make significant changes and a merger.
“At present, Young meets five of the seven criteria to be fit for the future, if we don’t meet seven we’re not fit for the future,” Mr Vlatko said.
He said if a merger was to take place, a whole new council would be formed.
“Young is not taking over Harden or Boorowa… At the end of the day, we need to make sure we give the community what it wants, at the level it wants.
“It’s $11 million if three councils merge, $5 million for two… this is the first time ratepayers won’t have to pay for a merger if this occurs.”
Mr Vlatko also spoke about only merging administration (option four), which wouldn’t produce the dollars.
“And guess what? You still have to prove you’re fit for the future because you’re not merging,” he said.
“At this point in time council has not made a decision.”
Mr Vlatko said council was proud of the forums and believed they’ve “done the right thing”.
“I think it’s important we’ve had a conversation with our community… that’s rewarding.”
But he admitted he was disappointed in Tuesday’s turnout, saying he expected bigger numbers.
“Considering Young’s population, it’s not a significant representation. However the people who were there, do care,” Mr Vlatko said.
At the meeting’s conclusion the community was invited to submit a form of their views or ask more questions, of which each will receive a reply.
All councillors will receive a package of all submissions and questions to read and help them form their view when it came time to debate and vote at a council meeting on Young’s submission to the government come June 30.
A response from the expert panel is expected by October.
For those still wishing to make a submission or ask questions, forms are still available at the council offices or can be sent to mail@young.nsw.gov.au or 189-205 Boorowa Street, Young, NSW, 2594. Closing date is Tuesday, March 31.
