Services & Organisation Committee

Key Decisions & Discussions
• Karen Finzel: Appointed Chair of the Services & Organisation Committee under s 267(2) Local Government Regulation 2012; carried unanimously (00:57–01:10) (Item 1.1).
• Karen Finzel: Prior minutes confirmed unanimously (01:10–01:20) (Item 2).
• Mel: Capital Program post-BR2: $45.9m total incl. $19.5m carryovers; $22m expended (48%) + $10.8m committed as at 31 Mar; wet weather hampering delivery (02:11–03:22) (Item 6.1).
• Mel: Road reseal spent $4.2m/$5m; design services handling 20+ designs and supporting 60+ projects; 53 multiyear projects in train (02:11–03:22) (Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Disaster reconstruction impacted by March–April rain; EOT negotiations with QRA for Simpsons Rd, Black Pinch Rd, Noosa Vale Rd are “favourable” (03:52–05:35) (context to Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Black Mountain landslide piling continuing with minimal wet-weather impact; targeting December opening (04:46–05:22) (context to Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Upper Pinbarren Creek Road (nine landslides): contractor appointment to ordinary meeting via confidential report; Shrivers Rd bridge water main support tender being finalised (05:10–06:10) (context to Item 6.1).
• Frank Wilkie: QRA disaster program c. $148m overall; 70–80m likely carryover into next FY; external PM consultancy engaged; 121 sites under repair (05:46–08:21) (context to Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Dog Beach nourishment progressing; new main channel opened for source material; first eastern sand plug completed; permits cover ongoing/top-up works; coordination with MSQ and boat users (08:28–10:57) (context to Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Shrivers Rd: QRA-funded “betterment” bridge to protect SEQ water main after 2022 undermining; no substantive Council funding required (12:40–14:45) (context to Item 6.1).
• Committee: Report on Capital Program noted; carried unanimously (19:00–31:13) (Item 6.1).
Contentious / Transparency Matters
• Shaun Walsh: Upper Pinbarren Creek contractor appointment to be considered as a confidential item at ordinary meeting; limits public visibility of procurement rationale (05:46–06:10).
• Larry Sengstock: Acknowledged staff shortages (planning, PM, engineering), repeated failed recruitments for Sustainable Transport Coordinator; moving to specialist recruitment and selective outsourcing (22:04–25:15).
• Shaun Walsh: Warned against an unsustainable $78m program if renewals, initiatives, and carryovers all proceed; proposes “green/orange/red” staging to manage expectations (26:37–29:15).
• Chair/CEO: Commitment to realistic scoping and communications, focusing on deliverables amid weather and capacity constraints to avoid over-promising (29:15–30:13).
• Craig: On-record noting of two Environment Levy acquisitions on report p.4 (Black Mountain Rd, Federal; 103 and 68 Padilba) increases trust via disclosure in the capital reporting context (20:11–20:54) (Item 6.1).
Legal / Risk
• Larry Sengstock: Chair appointment complied with Local Government Regulation 2012 s 267(2) (00:00–01:09) (Item 1.1).
• Shaun Walsh: QRA grant EOTs being negotiated due to force majeure (prolonged wet weather, landslide soil moisture); mitigates risk of funding clawback (03:58–05:35).
• Shaun Walsh: Financial liquidity preserved as QRA funds paid in advance, with interest benefit to Council; lowers cashflow risk of the disaster portfolio (07:24–08:21).
• Shaun Walsh: Shrivers Rd betterment replaces culverts/embankment with bridge to prevent recurrence of erosion threatening SEQ water main; material critical-infrastructure risk reduction (12:40–14:45).
• Shaun Walsh: Heritage-sensitive repointing at Cooroy Butter Factory requires specialist specs/contractor; weather dependencies could extend risk window to the fabric (17:19–18:22).
• Shaun Walsh: Coastal works proceed under existing dredging/nourishment permits; coordination with MSQ addresses navigation and public safety obligations (08:28–10:57).
Budget, Staffing & Delivery Capacity
• Mel: Only 48% of capital budget expended by 31 Mar due to wet weather; significant commitments indicate pipeline but signal further FY carryovers (02:11–03:22) (Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Next FY program must be pared back; multi-year profiling and traffic-lighting to align to resources (26:37–29:15).
• Larry Sengstock: Structural review underway; outsourcing large disaster works while internal teams “client-side” manage; to prevent burnout and retain capability (22:04–25:46).
• Amelia Lorentson: Sought assurance on burnout mitigation; CEO cited stability, contract strategy, role-matching, and wellbeing focus (25:15–26:09).
Environmental Concerns & Natural Assets
• Tom Wegener: Highlighted two Environment Levy land purchases securing koala corridors and biodiversity in the hinterland (19:27–20:11) (referenced in Item 6.1 report p.4).
• Craig: Specified locations: Black Mountain Rd (Federal), and 103 & 68 Padilba; includes rare old-growth forest (20:11–21:02) (Item 6.1).
• Shaun Walsh: Dog Beach nourishment restores critical coastal defence for Noosa Sound/Munna Point; annual monitoring/top-ups anticipated to prevent erosive regression (08:28–11:12).
• Shaun Walsh: Noosa estuary is a modified system; “not set-and-forget,” mandating ongoing adaptive management within permit frameworks (09:18–10:57).
Infrastructure Highlights
• Shaun Walsh: Black Mountain landslide piling advancing toward December opening; weather still a dependency (04:46–05:22).
• Shaun Walsh: Upper Pinbarren Creek works upgraded with wing walls and fish passages per contemporary standards; enhances flood capacity and ecology (15:51–16:41).
• Shaun Walsh: Cooroy Butter Factory ceiling works completed with minimal gallery disruption; brick repointing pending specialist procurement and fair weather (17:19–18:22).
• Mel: Design and planning teams concurrently advancing master planning subprojects (~$1.7m design; >$50m construction value) to feed future pipeline (02:11–03:22) (Item 6.1).