With Ballina Shire Council General Manager Paul Hickey deciding to retire after almost twenty years in the role, and even longer as a staff member, the task of finding a replacement has begun. Cr Damien Loone was also returned as Deputy Mayor after Cr Simon Chate withdrew his nomination.

Late in its last general meeting, there was a motion from Ballina Crs Kiri Dicker and Phil Meehan that Cr Rod Bruem should apologise to General Manager Paul Hickey, Cr Jeff Johnson, Cr Johnson’s family, council employees and staff at Premium Solar for any damage caused by recent comments made by Cr Bruem relating to the $70,000 contract awarded to Premium Solar at Ballina Memorial Swimming Pool.

At its last meeting, Ballina Shire Council adopted the Biodiversity Strategy which has been on exhibition recently, but there were questions about whether it was a purely aspirational document, or would mean anything on the ground without adequate funding.

The last Ballina Shire Council meeting contained all the tension Ballina-watchers have come to expect between humans and the natural environment, aspiration and the bottom line in this beautiful, fragile part of the world.

Ballina's beloved Jetboat Rescue Service was given temporary permission to return to the water on the weekend, with conditions. The future of the service was also one of the main items of discussion at the last Ballina Shire Council meeting, following a motion put forward by Cr Eoin Johnston.

A minor item on Ballina Shire Council's agenda this week blew up when Cr Rod Bruem decided to add a last minute alteration to Ballina's investment strategy.

A discussion about funding priorities for the next year became a debate about local versus regional arts funding at the last Ballina Shire Council meeting.