IT WAS great to float around in the Memorial baths last weekend as the sky slowly turned from bright blue to a clear night sky. Most of all it was great to show local residents that council does listen and can respond to the needs and demands quickly. With two days of 40+ temperatures over the weekend, the council rightly said that we would open both our pools into the night, so that everyone had the opportunity to cool down and feel a little relief from the heat.

The challenge for council over the next few years is continuing our commitment to consultation and acting quickly on what our community needs. As we continue to cut budgets and put our money back into our roads and assets, we need to be conscious of these moments where spending a little extra is worth it.

At council on Tuesday night we continued our commitment to sustainability with a motion on reusable drinking containers. Hot and cold drinks will always taste a little better in a reusable cup as you know that there is less waste going into organics or recycling, or at the very worst into waste. I believe there will be more motions coming to council this year as we look to pressing our advantage and reputation as a sustainable city.

Our biggest sustainable push this year is economic, as councillors look at where we can trim to make sure that future councils are not stuck with the same financial backlog that we have had to face these past 10 years.

It is my dream that the next council will be able to expand its programs and projects as we will finally be in a position where we can maintain what we have, looking forward to what comes next.