This exciting new series of posts is not generated by a desire to embarass or ridicule Council....they do enough of that for themselves....a very small and highly predictable bazinga; and in future will be posted the evening of the meeting or next day.
I genuinely appreciate the feedback I'm receiving 'off-blog' (and some of it is actually quite positive), and if there is something you see you know is wrong, or you have specific information to contribute, etc, please let me know.
Mt Gambier City Council meetings are a farcical 'Ground Hog Day' rubber-stamping of matters that are decided outside the Chamber; there have been at least two internal complaints about exactly this.
I view with grave concern that Council's Development Assessment Panel members are the same people involved in those complaints; and the appalling self-interest and gross nepotism of their decisions are there for all to see in the ugly, pointless, elitist Main Corner....annex...thingy...building...corner of an old aircraft hangar randomly slammed into the side of a beautiful, heritage-listed building...fiscal black-hole...etc.
There also appears to be a direct connection between how funding is approved for many other projects, eg, sports facility upgrades, and Councillor's connection with those clubs, organisations, etc.
Most extraordinary is the conduct of Councillor's when it comes to issues of 'Conflicts of Interests'.
This is covered in numerous previous posts.
For example; the massive Main Corner cost blow-outs that included a near million dollar Commercial Kitchen, creating a brand new function facility that Mayor Steve Perryman and Councillor Des Mutton's son Lachlan tendered for, and Mutton Jnr was subsequently given exclusive, free control of the entire facility and exclusive catering rights to the many functions that Council forces through there.
Millions of dollars of rate-payers money spent on an entirely un-neccesary function facility, then handed free of charge to a Councillor's son....
I know I've said it all before but it just doesn't get any less corrupt by just talking about it; and I apologise that I have not taken these issues to SAPol, the Ombudsman, etc, as promised, but I have no faith they'll move on any of it and/or it'll disappear into the 'Star Chamber' style secrecy of the ICAC for years and nothing will happen...that's why you set up a 'secret ICAC'...We've been put through that crap time and again with the St Martins Child Abuse Cover-Up.
On 19/03/13 Cr Lee suddenly excused himself on 'Conflict of Interests' re an already rejected application for a Food Van, but I'm sure he has remained in the Chamber on other occasions when this was discussed, and Cr Mutton whose son owns Sorenttos Cafe stayed put...his behaviour alone on 'CoIs' is random and unprofessional.
I'm certain they both have stayed in the Chamber for many votes on Main Corner issues, eg, the December 2012 meeting in previous post.
Council spent more time (19/03/13) on 'removing native trees from Valley Lake' than any other issue, but that did include Cr Maher quite correctly arguing that not all Eucalypt species are limb-dropping killers and that semi-mature natives should replace those natives removed.
I believe that Council employed professional arborists to assess the trees, but those experts should be looking at the large trees literally right in Council's own front yard, the Cave Gardens.
Ten years ago I was helping set up a stall at the Cave Gardens prior to the Christmas Pageant, when a largish bow fell from the tree nearest the new Library, and landed right where someone was setting up their small ride-on train; if that bow had fallen an hour after the pageant rather than before, dozens of people would have been hit.
I formally urge Council to review those trees that I note are literally being held together by ropes and/or cables tied from one branch to another; I will write to Council today.
It is not disingenuous or irresponsible to suggest that Council has a very specific 'Duty of Care' with those trees and the people of Mt Gambier, because of the Rail Lands Retail Agenda (previous posts).
Instead of events being held at an open Rail Lands Parkland with appropriate permanent cover and suitable native shade trees, an amphitheatre, etc, Council's clearly definable attempts to 'force' the Main Corner onto people (and a lack of alternative) means Council is specifically directing people to be under those dangerous trees.
Has Council had those trees "assessed" by their professionals? Surely they must have, particularly after the limb-fall as above.
Are those trees still standing purely because of where they are?
Is Council knowingly putting people at risk? That is the 'Duty of Care'.
On 19/03/13 Council also approved a new $42,000 car for (Grant Humphries or Daryl Sexton...not sure)
instead of the $30,000 option...but that's just fine according to CEO Mark McShane because the cheaper car somehow 'de-values' twice as much as the expensive one...he's "researched it"...so thorough.
On a much more positive note Council unanimously passed/agreed on a 'Social Inclusion Charter' that should be available on their website or at their offices.
Whilst I genuinely and fully support any such initiative, I haved earned the right through my personal experience of Council, to suggest that Council needs to do more about issues like "Respect" and "Equity" than write it on a page.
Beyond that, I genuinely believe that there are those on Council who are beyond help, beyond ever really having "Respect", or treating the community with "Equity".
I do not believe that the Old Hospital, Rail Lands, New Swimming Pool, or Bus Shelter issues were discussed at all, other than reference to external Committees...guess I'll have to start going to those meetings as well.....
This Arvo: TFTIM former MLC Nick Xenophon
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