Council encourages residents to attend first Ordinary Meeting in Texas since 2008

Goondiwindi Regional Council encourages local residents to attend the first Ordinary Meeting in Texas in more than 12 years on Wednesday, 24 March.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said the occasion signified Council’s ongoing commitment to the entire region, beyond just Goondiwindi.

The meeting will start at 9 am on 24 March at the Texas Memorial Hall (50 High Street), followed by a community morning tea with the Mayor and Councillors at 11 am at the same location. All residents are invited to come along if they can, and should RSVP by Friday, 19 March on 07 4671 7400 for catering and COVID-19 requirements.

Council’s September 2020 Ordinary Meeting was held in Inglewood and marked the first time a Council Ordinary Meeting had been held outside of Goondiwindi itself since June 2008. Cr Springborg said the new Council’s agreement to extend its Ordinary Meetings to Inglewood and Texas was part of a broader commitment to bring core decision-making to the area’s more regional communities.

“My fellow councillors and I are proud to represent all residents of the Goondiwindi Regional Council area – and I always emphasise the ‘Regional’ aspect of that,” Cr Springborg said. “The Texas meeting and morning tea on Wednesday will be an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with many members of the community and hear first-hand the views of our residents in Texas and its surrounds,” he said.

“I strongly encourage any interested residents to RSVP before Friday so they can come along. “It’s so important to hear the views of our smaller towns. Pre-election, I promised that regional voices in our area would be represented under the new Council, and the decision to hold our meetings in Inglewood and Texas is a clear example of that.”

For the duration of the current Council term, Council will hold an Ordinary Meeting in Inglewood and Texas every six months on rotation. The next such meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 22 September in Inglewood - Council will advertise more details closer to the time and all residents will be invited to attend.

The Mayor and other councillors also work from the Inglewood Civic Centre and Texas Cultural Centre on a regular basis. Cr Springborg continues to hold office hours in Inglewood and Texas on the fourth Friday and second Tuesday of the month respectively – residents should call 07 4671 7437 to make an appointment in either town. He is usually available in Goondiwindi on Tuesdays, and appointments are also available in Talwood.

“I understand, as your Councillors do, the importance of equal and fair representation across the entire 19,284 square kilometres that make up the Goondiwindi Regional Council area,” Cr Springborg said. “And that extends from Cement Mills in the East, to Weengallon in the West and everywhere in between – not just Goondiwindi.”