Recently Armidale Regional Council (ARC) General Manager James Roncon stated that he wants to “get the rail trail back on track.”
In light of this, there are a number of important questions that need to be asked of the General Manager:
Expenditure of Ratepayers’ Funds
How much ratepayers’ money has been spent to date on preliminary work for the rail trail?
Funding from Renewable Energy Companies
How much money has been received or promised by renewable energy companies specifically for the rail trail’s construction or maintenance?
Transparency and Authorisation
Were the negotiations between ARC and renewable energy companies conducted transparently and authorised by the full council?
Process for Contributions
What is the process for receiving contributions from such companies and allocating them to community projects within the LGA?
Allocation of Funds
Of the funds received from renewable energy companies, how much (if any) has been directed to projects other than the rail trail?
Governance and Principles
Why has ARC not finalised the Terms of Reference and guiding principles for allocating funds received from renewable energy companies, to ensure they serve the greater good of the community?
Grant Applications
Has the council applied for government grants to build the rail trail?
If so, how many applications have been submitted, for what dollar amounts, and what is the current status of each application?
Council Updates
When will the General Manager provide a full update to councillors on all of the above matters?
Why has no substantive update been provided since April–May 2024?
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Can we assume these questions are being asked by the pro train lobby?
All the above and also is like to know, How many REZ projects will border on the railway corridor? How wide is the buffer zone needed for these projects? 1km, 3kms? Have they decided on the power line route? The transport route for the big trucks?
How many projects are exactly being entertained?
There really are so many questions that need answering? ? ?
Is the council being transparent or are we being treated as mushrooms?
How mushroom is going to be needed on the New England and how mushroom is the energy company getting?