Orange Councillors & Candidates

A 2010 calendar marking 150 years of local government in Orange will be delivered to residents in the city next week.

On February 18, 1860, a group of residents gathered for the first meeting of the Orange Municipal Council. The meeting was held in the then Court House and was presided over by the Chairman, John Peisley with Councillors John Woodward, George McKay, William Dale, Dennis Hanrahan and William Tucker Evans in attendance. Crown Solicitor, George Colquhoun was appointed Council Clerk and James Dalton and Patrick Kenna were appointed auditors.

Orange City Councillor Chris Gryllis said the calendar featured historic photos charting the development of the city, historic dates over the last 150 years, key dates for 2010 and council contact numbers.

“The calendar is a keepsake of past events and a great dairy for 2010 events. I encourage everyone to take part in the celebrations,” he said.

For those people living outside the city, copies are available at the Library, Customer Service Desk in the Civic Centre, the Visitor Information Centre and the Neighbourhood Centre in Kite Street. If businesses would like to display and distribute copies they can contact Chris Stanger on 6393 8120 or cstanger@orange.nsw.gov.au for copies.

Council is also developing a Wiki to commemorate the 150 years of local government. The Wiki will mirror the calendar design. If anyone can identify people or has information about the photos in the calendar, they can contact Chris Stanger with the detail and it will be included in the Wiki.

Santa, carols, fireworks, a live nativity scene, dinosaurs and family focused entertainment are all part of the remodeled Orange Christmas Festival in 2009.

The festival will be launched at the Robertson Park rotunda at 11am Monday 30 November.

The festival and carols will be part of a joint event for the first time on Friday 11 December.

The festival will be held in Robertson Park from 5.30pm, with Carols commencing at 7.30pm and concluding with the J R Richards Fireworks at 9pm.

The Carols will be performed from a temporary stage south of the rotunda. Between 5.30 and the commencement of the carols there will be plenty of entertainment including live music, a jumping castle, gopher races and Santa’s arrival at 7pm. Food and refreshments stalls will be on site.

A special feature of the entertainment is the Erth Petting Zoo, an

amazing selection of lifelike dinosaur and creature puppets. Visit www.erth.com.au

Christmas Festival Committee member Cr Fiona Rossiter said the merging of the street festival and the carols should benefit both events at a busy time of the year.

"The entertainment has a strong family focus this year and bringing everything together on the one evening is sure to attract a big crowd," she said.
Byng Street between Lords Place and Peisley Street will be closed from 5.15pm  to 10pm. McNamara Street between Summer and Byng streets will also be closed between these times.

In the event of wet weather the festival will not be moved or rescheduled. Robertson Park is an alcohol free zone.

Orange City Council is installing electronic signs around the city to remind residents of the need to conserve water.

The city is currently on level five restrictions, which limits watering outside the home to one hour between 6pm and 7pm on Sundays.

The consumption target for level five restrictions is 160 litres per person per day. Over the last four weeks, consumption has been climbing from 180 to 189 to 211 and this week to 219 litres per person per day.

Council’s Technical Services Director Chris Devitt said residents had responded well to restrictions in trying conditions.

"However, the consumption figures over the past three weeks illustrate greater vigilance is needed," Mr Devitt said.

"There will also be a greater focus on commercial and industrial use over the coming weeks and months. Water conservation is not only the responsibility of residents."

To spread the conservation message, Council is using electronic signage normally used for speed safety messages. The electronic signs will be displayed in the Woolworths Car Park, outside the Council building in Byng Street and the Ophir Car Park. The signs will show the target, the week’s consumption per person per day and dam levels.

Under level five restrictions, watering is limited to garden beds, trees and shrubs by hand held hose, microsprays or bucket. Only one hose per household with a cut-off nozzle affixed or alternatively, a single connection drip or microspray watering system, can be used during this time period. Lawn watering, including newly sown lawn seed or new turf, is not permitted. The hosing of hard surfaces and vehicles and the topping up or filling of pools is not permitted.

Orange Mayor John Davis has commended the Canobolas Zone Rural Fire Service and support agencies for the response to Sunday’s fire.

"The Canobolas Zone, its volunteers and staff have a great reputation and yesterday they demonstrated why," Cr Davis said.

"It is hard to imagine tougher fire fighting conditions than yesterday. To bring that fire under control in those conditions was a huge effort. Unfortunately there were some stock losses but that there were no major property losses and most importantly no loss of life was an outstanding effort."

"It was a great joint effort from the agencies involved including the RFS, police, Community Services, Orange and Cabonne council’s and Industry & Investment NSW."

Cr Davis said Sunday’s fire, more than a week before the start of summer, illustrated the importance of being prepared.

"The NSW Rural Fire Service has developed a range of resources to help people, such as a Bush Fire Survival Plan. I urge residents to visit the Rural Fire Service website at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au and be prepared for what could be a harsh summer ahead. The RFS is ready and we should be as well," Cr Davis said.

"Sunday’s fire also illustrated that bush fire plans aren’t just for people living in rural areas. They are also important for urban residents particularly those on the fringes of the city."

"I visited the Canobolas Zone Fire Control Centre on Forest Road over the weekend and residents can be assured that the resources and technology covering this region are first class."