A great deal has happened since the last Talking Lismore podcast with Mayor of Lismore Steve Krieg. We have had a tropical cyclone and over 550mm of rain fell at the Lismore airport in the month of March.

The Lismore App sat down with the mayor to talk about the resignation of General Manager Jon Gibbons, the state of our roads, the latest in finding a home for the Richmond River Historical Society, the recent Community Strategic Plan community meetings, and Lismore's future growth, which excites the mayor given the foundations being laid.

On GM Jon Gibbons, Mayor Krieg said it was sad to lose him, emphasising the importance of family first.

"He's been here for nearly two and a half years and has made a real impact in Lismore, but we've had some pretty emotional discussions over the course of the last six to eight weeks, and there has to come a time where you put your family first," Krieg said.

The mayor said that the process of appointing a new permanent GM is ongoing, and he is seeking advice from various sources to determine the best course of action during the interim period.

As for the current state of Lismore's roads, the mayor acknowledged the frustration of residents and emphasised the council's commitment to road repairs. However, he stressed that the ongoing wet weather hinders effective road repairs.

"You cannot fix roads properly when it's so wet," Mayor Krieg explained, highlighting the futility of temporary solutions like pothole patching. He expressed hope for a dry winter to allow for meaningful roadworks and emphasised that funding is secured for disaster road repairs.

"We've actually got the money in place. We've got the people in place. We've have to pray for a bit of sunshine. That's what we need now to actually get in between now and Christmas, and as I said, right up through till the middle of 2029. If we get that run of good weather, people will see tangible and really good results, not only about our roads, but about our drains as well."

The lack of state and federal support for business and primary producers has frustrated Mayor Krieg following Tropical Cyclone Alfred. He urged for faster rollout of assistance, particularly for businesses that lost trading days due to the cyclone. He expressed concern that the current support measures are inadequate and called for a reevaluation of the support system to be rolled out faster.

"The federal government was quick to announce that 13-week wage subsidy and that sort of thing might have its place, but it's the people paying the wages, the people that are impacted through their loss of trade, that is where we need to get better and roll that support out a little bit faster," he said.

Lismore City Council has concluded a series of four community workshops aimed at gathering input for the development of the city's new Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The workshops, held in Wyrallah, Lismore, Goonellabah, and Nimbin, saw approximately 100 residents participate in discussions about the future of Lismore over the next decade.

Mayor Steve Krieg expressed disappointment with the turnout despite strong initial registration numbers, attributing the low attendance to weather and other factors. The workshops were designed to provide a platform for residents to share their vision for Lismore, with an independent facilitator leading the discussions to ensure impartiality.

"It's not about what councillors want, this is an opportunity for us to listen to what the community wants to see Lismore look like over the next 10 years," stated Mayor Krieg. He emphasised that the council is committed to presenting a CSP that reflects the community's needs and aspirations before June 30. This is the first time the CSP has been rewritten in a number of years.

One key topic discussed was the future utilisation of vacant land left behind by buyback houses. Mayor Krieg revealed that the Reconstruction Authority presented their future property strategy to the council in late February, outlining plans for nature reserves, light industrial, and commercial areas, particularly in North and South Lismore.

You can listen to the full Talking Lismore podcast by clicking on the link.