Walgett Mayor Keir commends General Manager and staff

Rata Jackson

Mayor of the Walgett Shire Council, Councillor Jane Keir has congratulated the Council’s General Manager Mike Urquhart and his staff for an excellent job during the recent flood response.

In her monthly report to council, Councillor Keir said that she had been receiving daily communications and briefings from Mr Urquhart during the flood crisis.

“I would like to offer my congratulations and sincere thanks to Mike Urquhart and his staff for their ongoing commitment and tireless support to our community during the ongoing disaster situation we are facing daily across the Shire,” Councillor Keir said.

“Council wishes to publicly thank and highly commend Michael Urquhart and his staff for a great job in keeping everybody safe”.

“Council has been updating my local community on the Namoi River twice daily by email since the end of September with updates from the SES regarding river levels, road conditions and flooding”.

The Western Herald spoke with Councillor Keir last week, regarding the flood issues and her own experiences of isolation at Come-By-Chance.

Councillor Keir said the main road from Come-By-Chance was still closed at that time, but that an unsealed road from Come-By-Chance that comes out between Walgett and Coonamble was allowing her family to shop in both towns.

“There is another small peak coming through Gunnedah in the Namoi River, but we are not expecting too much from it. The main challenge we are facing now is getting the harvest done.”

“We are keeping our fingers crossed for some warm, dry weather,” she said.

Councillor Keir said that during her isolation due to road closures, she had been very busy with meetings and in constant daily contact with the General Manager of Walgett Shire, Mike Urquhart.

While it has been difficult for many people during flood, road closures were now being lifted in many areas.

The Barwon and Namoi rivers are falling at Walgett and Collarenebri townships; and slight rises are predicted again with the recent rain event.

Councillor Keir also said that Walgett Shire Council has joined with Local Government NSW and the Country Mayors Association in declaring a state-wide road emergency, calling for immediate and significant funding increases to help repair the state’s flood-damaged road network.

She said that she looked forward to being back in the chair for the next Walgett Shire Council meeting on Tuesday, 20th December.