Eight major items to be discussed in today s council meeting dailymercury.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymercury.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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The Whitsunday Mayor has issued an apology and vowed to review the councilâs Cemeteries Policy after it sparked a tidal wave of community criticism.
Mayor Andrew Willcox met with the other Whitsunday councillors as well as councilâs CEO Rod Ferguson and senior management staff on Wednesday to discuss the community response to letters and a social media post sent out by the council about the management of the regionâs cemeteries.
âThe policy allows fresh flowers over the gravesite for the first month after interment and after that period a vase may be purchased from council for display of artificial flowers. Other items or structures are only allowed with the approval of council,â the post read.
 Division 6 councillor Mike Brunker did not think the council should financially support it because it would be subsidising a private enterprise. Clearly now this is a private venture, he said. We have given this venture two years of funding. We were in it twice while Clipper was here and I firmly believe that should be us out. It has flipped over the edge. If it becomes an iconic event power to them, but it should not be done under the auspice of council. But Mayor Andrew Willcox disagreed, saying he supported the sponsorship because one in three jobs in the Whitsundays was tied up in tourism.
Division 6 councillor Mike Brunker was the only person to oppose the move during the council meeting on Wednesday, saying residents already had an issue with paid parking.
âWe bring more paid parking into the place and we say we want more tourists there and (then) people leave with fines,â Cr Brunker said.
âPeople complain about the amount of paid parking down there and we put more in there.â
Council agenda documents state the installation of the paid parking system will enable the parking and infringement integrated management system project to be completed.
A new parking system was implemented in car parks across Airlie Beach in December last year but the council decided not to install it at the Whitsunday Sailing Club car park.
Cr Wright said community consultation helped reveal the projects of interest for the community and suggested scratching the irrigation project and missing footpath link works. The results are in and going off that, I just feel those two top projects don t meet what the people are wanting out there, Cr Wright said. Instead, Cr Wright suggested the funds be used for an upgrade at the Collinsville tennis courts and revamps to Darcy Munro Park, Scottville Park and Lions Park to put in new equipment and seating. The balance of the funding would still be used for beautification on Stanley St.