In 2019 the Meander Valley region had many highs and lows and The Examiner looks back on the year that was.
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Northern Regional Prison site
The lack of community consultation before the September announcement of Westbury as the preferred site for the Northern Regional Prison created community angst.
Meander Valley Council meetings and questions to councillors became dominated by the topic as the community asked why they were not told earlier.
Former general manager Martin Gill, who resigned in September, wrote to the owners of the Birralee Road site last year encouraging an EOI for the prison.
Five shortlisted sites were recommended to Corrections Minister Elise Archer in March before the preferred Westbury site was announced.
In the months following protests and petitions have been held and a group rallying against the prison, the Westbury Region Against the Prison, formed.
Consultations were held in December, with Ms Archer assuring the community it was the preferred site but was 'not a done deal' with a socio-economic impact assessment underway.
During a public meeting at Westbury Town Hall Ms Archer was greeted by signs reading 'still no meaningful consultation just spin', 'shame' and 'no prison in Westbury'.
The main concerns are the impact on tourism, property prices, safety and the closeness of the site to the town centre.
Others have since voiced their support for the prison, with former mayors Craig Perkins and Greg Hall saying the region would benefit from a prison.
Mr Perkins and Mr Hall called for those opposed to the site to look at the bigger picture, settle down and respect the process.
Westbury celebrates 180 years of education
Westbury took a trip down memory lane to recognise 180 years of continuous education and to remember the history of a swimming pool, fire places and a dog named Toby in October.
The town celebrated with a number of events and a fair at Westbury Primary School.
The school retrieved a 1989 time capsule and it, along with a 2019 capsule were re-interred containing stories, photos, catalogues, drawings and a school uniform.
Past students, teachers and principals shared their stories of the school and recounted in the 1940s and 50s an open fire place in every room, pupils collecting and cutting the wood and marching to class.
They also had Toby, an English Springer Spaniel, who would roam the grounds and warm up in front of the fireplaces, and an above ground swimming pool built in 1986.
Complaint upheld against councillor Rodney Synfield
A code of conduct complaint against Meander Valley councillor Rodney Synfield was upheld by a review panel in August after he continually harassed a female council staff member.
He approached the staff member at her car in a public street, visited a property where she was feeding her horses, brought her gifts and sent her emails after a request not to.
Synfield had to attend at least three emotional intelligence training sessions as a result, costing ratepayers more than $3000.
With the support of the staff member, the council's general manager Martin Gill lodged the complaint in late 2018. The employee alleged the behaviour had been ongoing for about 12 months.
From about mid-2018, Cr Synfield's phone calls to her had become more frequent, she began to screen his calls and send them to voice mail, the report said.
In August, Cr Synfield said he would not step down from his position and was shocked by the complaint but offered an apology for any angst or concern he may have caused.
Ridley opens $50 million fish feed facility
Australia's leading animal nutrition producer Ridley officially unveiled its new $50 million aquaculture feed facility at Westbury in July.
It created 20 new full-time jobs for the region and was projected to inject about $21 million a year into the state's economy.
The Valley Central Industrial Precinct facility produces extruded feed pellets for the aquaculture industry in Tasmania, parts of the mainland and New Zealand - 50,000 tonnes of the pellets will be produced each year.
Deloraine FC celebrates 125 years
Deloraine Football Club celebrated 125 years in June and raised $10,000 for upgrades around the club.
The senior team donned commemorative guernseys which were then quickly washed after the game against Bracknell and auctioned off at the event.
The Roos wore black and white guernseys, like the club used to wear, and commemorated the 1979 senior premiership team, as it was the last time the club won a senior premiership.
The club's 1979 captain-coach John Williams, who coached the club during four premierships, was the guest speaker and gave the senior team some words of encouragement before the anniversary game.