Piling pledges for forum
CANDIDATES for Divisions 8 and 9 have been given the wishlist from residents and business groups for what they expect from their new councillors.
The future of the tourism levy, financing for the final stages of the Coolum Beach Streetscaping Project and worries over what will happen if Noosa splits from the Sunshine Coast Council are just a few of the issues that must be addressed.
It comes as council hopefuls in both divisions prepare for separate meet- the-candidates forums to sell themselves to the residents they hope to represent and answer their questions.
The first is on tonight. It will be for Division 9 candidates at the Coolum Civic Centre from 6.30-8pm.
A forum for Division 8 candidates will be held tomorrow from 12-2pm at the North Shore Community Centre in Pacific Paradise.
Both are open to the public.
Coolum Residents Association president Kerry Goudge said she would like to see the new councillor for Division 9 have more control over unsightly vacant blocks of land.
"I'm talking about the neglected bits of undeveloped land," Ms Goudge said.
"I know council doesn't have any authority, but I'd like to see them push developers to look after these vacant lands a bit more.
"They're just becoming eyesores," she said.
She said Noosa's potential split from the rest of the Coast also needed to be addressed.
"We need to know how it will impact on our area," Ms Goudge said.
"I feel that there will be a strong push now that we have a state LNP government for Noosa to de-amalgamate. I would be interested to know what impact it would have on us, if we have a say to either join or stay with the rest of the Coast.
"Noosa's de-amalgamation will impact financially on the rest of the Coast."
Coolum Business and Tourism president Noel Mooney said funding for tourism was of the upmost importance.
"A lot of the candidates are going against the tourism levy. If they are, then I want to know where they're going to get the money to promote the industry from," Mr Mooney said.
"We need a guarantee of funding to have more events and to market our area. We're a tourist orientated area."
Mr Mooney said the other issue was to ensure $1 million in future funding to finish off the final stage of the Coolum Beach Streetscaping project.
"We hope it's something the councillor will keep pushing to get into the budget."
In Division 8, Marcoola Progress Association president Debbie Johnson said whoever replaces mayoral candidate Cr Debbie Blumel had big shoes to fill.
"We're very pleased with the work Debbie Blumel has achieved for us," she said.
"Everything I can think of that we raised with Debbie has been thoroughly tracked down and done on our behalf.".
