The Cootamundra Country Club and Cootamundra Ex Services Club have combined to add the weight of their membership to the council name debate.
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The clubs have contacted all members urging them to return their voting slip with the name Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council marked.
Country Club deputy chairman Simon Bragg said adding Regional to the two town names makes it inclusive of the villages in the former Cootamundra and Gundagai Shires.
He, with Ex Services Club president of the board Mike Willis, urged all residents to ensure they return their voting slip.
“Cootamundra wants recognition; we are not trying to crowd Gundagai out of a decision but we want to be recognised as Cootamundra not Gundagai,” Mr Bragg said.
Mr Willis encouraged people not to take the attitude that nothing can be done because by voting people can have a say.
“People must get their slip of paper in, if they fail to get it in and this issue can not be resolved then there may be no going back,” Mr Willis said.
In a letter to all members, both clubs said “We believe this option is in the best interests of the town and the two clubs”.
“We can all assume that voting numbers will be critical in the naming of the new council, therefore if Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council is to be chosen as the preferred option your vote is extremely important,” the letter continues.
Mr Bragg and Mr Willis said the two clubs have enjoyed an increasingly close working relationship since the Country Club found itself in a dire financial state last year.
They said if they can work together for the betterment of Cootamundra they will and the naming of the council is an issue which affects every resident of the town.
Residents are reminded they have until next Friday, July 8 to lodge their vote on their preferred name out of Gundagai-Cootamundra Council, Cootamundra-Gundagai Council, Gundagai-Cootamundra Regional Council and Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council.
Regarding voting slips, a Gundagai Council spokesperson said “Council can only send a letter and voting slip to those within its existing data bases, eg rates”.
“Council will make voting slips available at both the Gundagai and Cootamundra offices for those who do not have a regular mode of contact with council,” the spokesperson continued.