They have resurfaced the road for several kilometres, but the road is lifting especially just north of the 100km sign.

In the middle of the road, it is just disappearing. Tyres are not even running on that section. Every day it is getting wider and wider. It is a disgrace. The worst area is about 20 metres from the 100km sign, going north. It previously had a big pot hole. They resurfaced it, but within a week it was back to the hole in the ground.

I have reported this to Roads and Maritime Services and Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Congratulations to the Moruya Business Chamber for highlighting Eurobodalla shire Council's responsibility to proactively participate in mitigating any likely adverse impacts of the proposed Moruya by-pass prompted, we all know, by the announcements of funding by our local members in the lead up to the recent state and federal elections.

The shire's most urgent location for highway re-routing, as Blind Freddy knows, is the Narooma Bridge but, a cynic might say, it was not, like Moruya, in the Gilmore federal electorate (but is still in the state Bega electorate, Mr C).

Let's hope that the chamber's message gets through, as it seems the council has not been as publicaly active as would be desired in protecting the shire's residents and businesses in relation to the Batemans Bay bridge's effects on the town. This has been evident in part by revelations about the lower height of the new bridge, its effects on CBD traffic flows and the reported way the foreshore sunset committee's input has been largely ignored and overridden.

Many will recall the lack of action by the council when Cr Constable two years ago called for a proper examination of the highway in the shire. Had this "pow wow" occurred then, perhaps there would by now be news of a decent strategy developed for transport in, out and within the region, with prudent provisions for other services in the optimal highway corridor.

Politicians jumping the gun to bring forward "pet" projects frustrate any strategic, long-term plans the RMS and other agencies might have had in train. It's like saying: "Never mind draining the swamp, guys, I want you to buy this pump!"

Hopefully the Moruya Business Chamber's initiative will prime the council to do the right thing.

With the demise of webcasting public forum presentations, ratepayers have lost an easily accessible, insightful source of public interest issues presented to Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Ratepayers must now rely on the general manager's assurance that councillors, now being more connected and accessible via email and phone, can provide information which they made inaccessible when voting to adopt the council's new Code of Meeting Practice.

With the assurance in mind, I have sent the following request to the councillors responsible for the removal of webcasting: Jack Tait, James Thomson, Maureen Nathan, Phil Constable, Rob Pollock, Lindsay Brown and Mayor Liz Innes.

As a ratepayer interested in council and community affairs, I am denied access to community presentations. This forum is the only opportunity for the public to share their concerns with elected representatives and ratepayers.

Transcripts of presentations will be made available on the council's website. However, transcripts do not elicit the fervor or passion of presentations, nor reveal the impact on, or reactions of, councillors.

As public forum is not minuted, the interaction between councillors and presenters is unavailable to anyone except those physically able to attend.

I would make the 60km return trip to access the forum, however my partner's work commitments prevent me.

As I was unable to attend (on Tuesday, June 25), I would like to know:

I find it extremely disturbing that Mayor Innes' reasons for removing access to the most important aspect of the democratic process, to so many, is due to her allegations against so few.