Not only is it the infrastructure in our council perimeters that needs to be repaired or rebuilt but our preparedness for fire and drought survival.

Many rural and regional towns in NSW are preparing for the day that they have no water. What is our council doing?

On one hand we have State officials telling us that we will run out of water and on the other hand, council telling us that we are okay.

Can we really morally afford to spend $40 million to house council staff under one roof when the general community is suffering from bushfires and drought devastation?

This is the community that pays rates to the council to invest in our future and well-being and that of the wildlife that is suffering from our lack of action.

We are the people who elected our councillors to look after our interests, we are the ones who need to stand up and say this is not good enough.

It was welcoming to see the Masters building put to very good community use during the bushfire emergency. Its size and parking areas was able to accommodate the RFS fire crews for fuelling of both vehicles and crew and a centre for drop off of emergency supplies on a 24 hour basis.

It became the hub for the emergency that devastated our region and brought us all together.

Ratepayers have a chance to voice their opinion about the Masters development plan as shareholders in this community via local council offices to review it.

I believe that many people would be willing to go into debt for $40 million if it was for the common benefit of everyone in safeguarding the community against future disasters and sustaining farming and business interests. This would therefore help protect employment and the economy of our region.

Please remember at the next local election, that it is you and me that pay them to represent us and not the other way around. Please make your vote count - and you objection to the DA for Masters