The Main Corner Project gets its own blog, but any story about City Council cannot avoid the entrenched corruption of appropriate process and nepotism epitomised and enshrined in that ugly, pointless, fiscal blackhole.
Even the generally optimistic Graham Greenwood (writing in The Border Watch) has been repeatedly and very pointedly critical of the Main Corner Project.
Mount Gambier City Council is fundamentally compromised by the grossly in-appropriate behaviour of a few self-focused Councillors, resulting in financial mismanagement and relentless nepotism; there is a definable 'born to rule' attitude amongst some Councillors, particularly those present due to association not merit.
'Councillors' refers collectively to both elected and employed persons holding official positions, the decision-makers, eg, the Chief Executive Officer; not Council employees.
The less meritous the individual, the more arrogant and selfish their behaviour is likely to be; decisions are being made based on self-interest and arrogance, not what is best for the entire community, and there have been multiple internal complaints of collusion and inappropriate process.
These decisions flow seemlessly between Mt Gambier City and Grant District Councils, and always with a definable gain for Councillors involved; eg, DC of Grant rushed re-zoning of a serving DC of Grant Councillors land on Millicent Rd whilst Mt Gambier City Council dragged the process at Penola Rd; Minister Paul Holloway suddenly interfered; and the Bunning's development ended up at Millicent Rd.
Meanwhile City Council re-zoned the Rail Lands to "Retail" for an expansion of the adjacent shopping centre and forced through the Main Corner development to benefit the 'Main St' and/or supporters of Liberal party aspirants Tony Pasin and Steve Perryman.
This selfishness and nepotism have cost Mt Gambier dearly; planning and development processes and decisions are made to serve the business and personal interests of individual Councillors.
For example; how does former City Councillor (2002-2010) and now Liberal candidate for Barker in the Sept 14th federal election, Mr Tony Pasin, justify his recent comments about how important an all-weather pool is, after 8 years on Council voting for everything else but, most particularly the Main Corner; not good enough sir.
I wrote to City Council (including a formal written submission in April 2011) about my own concerns and the many allegations being made about the Main Corner Project and Council's general behaviour.
That Friday April 15th 2011, Councillor Ian Von Stanke came to my home with this letter;
"Mr Fletcher I have read your submission for the strategic plan for the City of Mt
Gambier.
I believe you have made some defamatory remarks (Rail lands-insider trading and deals
for mates high levels of conflict of interest) I believe you should supply the proof of your
accusations, if untrue I will expect a written apology to council and the local paper.
Regards
Cr Ian von Stanke" (reproduced exactly-original also hand signed-NF)
My specific legal advice is that by repeatedly referring to Council, especially "a written apology to council" and signed "Councillor von Stanke", the letter itself makes it Council's business whether Council approved it or not.
Former City CEO Greg Muller denied any Council responsibility (and in doing proved it was Cr Von Stanke who wrote and delivered the letter) and the local media refused to run a story, literally saying 'well, what do you expect'.
Current CEO Mark McShane also waved away my written complaints with written responses (eventually) that don't even acknowledge most of the issues I raise.
My continued complaints generated a 'secret' Council report tabled minutes after I was told to leave the July 17th 2012 meeting (public exclusion); a report that exonerates Cr von Stanke without saying what it is he has been "cleared of" but denigrates me as a 'complainer'.
I found out about the Council report the next Tuesday via Sandra Morello's article in The Border Watch "Councillor cleared of alleged misconduct after investigation"; yet another article Sandra Morello has written about me without contacting me.
Cr von Stanke's behaviour is completely inappropriate; the letter is meant to bully and threaten by using his position as Councillor and using Council's name; and coming to my home is an act of direct intimidation; it says 'I know where you live'.
It is identical behaviour to the DC Grant Councillor (owner of the Millicent Rd site) whom went to the home of some-one opposing the development, confronted and abused them on their own doorstep, and then tried to have the home-owner arrested for assaulting him.
This sort of clearly corrupt and inappropriate behaviour is generated by the corruption of the people involved, and activists like myself accept that the institutionalised corruption of these individuals will generate these attacks, inexcusable as they are; anyone who steps out of line is immediately targetted as a troublemaker and not a team player, etc.
However, there is no excusing City Council's recent behaviour on the Drainage Pond issue, when concerns were raised by a local mum.
Council openly attacked her in The Border Watch and in chambers, but then suddenly did an audit of the ponds, passed plans for works through Council, and the ponds were re-engineered to make them safer; well done that lady.
But did Council apologise to the person whom they had so viciously denigrated? Not a chance; not even when that lady attended Council's meeting; totally unprofessional and totally unacceptable.
By now, Council must understand that threatening and abusing people can back-fire nastily.
Tomorrow: Why South Australian Wind Turbines ARE a National Issue.
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