"Ahh...Mr Harry Potter....welcome to Gringott's Bank."
"Umm...I'm Nick Fletcher...I'm here to see Merv White..."
"Yes Mr Potter...I know why you're here."
"Ahhh, yeahhh...I was told to come here to the brand new Blue Lake Golf Links clubhouse on Grant
Ave and ask for Merv White about the sale of the Blue Lake (Queen's Trust) Caravan Pk..."
"Do you have your key, Mr Potter?"
"Ahh, look mate...I just want to talk to Merv White about the atrocious behaviour of the new park
owners."
Sorry...couldn't help myself, but this was genuinely my first impression of Merv when I went to his 'office' at the clubhouse in early 2001; this 'goblin-like' creature scowling at me over a huge desk.
I had been living at the caravan park for about three years as one of four 'permanent' vans, and it was a stunning place to live. My van was right in the back corner amongst trees and looking down the slope through what was then the first tee and clubhouse.
The park managers kept the whole place spotless and manicured; it was almost like living in the golf course. Even the ablutions were spotless. At night the access road to Valley Lake was closed giving me the whole area to myself; I would take my morning coffee just down to the bench overlooking the lake...beautiful. Frosty mornings with all the magpies singing were my favourite.
As it was explained to us at the time, Merv White and company (Council) had sold the Blue Lake Park to the owners of the 'Marion Holiday Park'; and weren't they charming people.
Note: it has been put to me that Council has not actually sold the park, but leased it; not unlike the way Labor has leased the Forestry Rotations I'm sure, but I'll have to check. Anyway, at the time we were told sold.
The new owners immediately indicated that they wanted us off those sites to build cabins, and preferrably out of the park altogether...they openly stated that they did not want 'residents'. Their first move was to just switch our power off one day with no notification. My fridge 'blew up' and wouldn't work again, and the others lost all their frozen foods.
After complaining, we were given an extension cord from the toilet block, and soon after were ordered onto other sites. There was a whole bunch of unpleasantness...those people were/are right bastards.
So it was that I came to meet Merv. From the moment I walked in he was fuming, shifting angrily in his seat. I tried to explain to him that the other tenants were retirees and a professional couple who lived at the park and worked in town, they loved it there, etc, how upset they were,etc, but Merv wasn't interested.
Merv White repeatedly denied Council responsibility, saying that the new owners could do what they liked, etc. It was that sort of language being used at the time that indicated to me that the park had been sold, but for all I know he was just lying and denying.
I put it to Merv, that the 'rumour/allegation' circulating the park (residents and employees) was that the new owners were close personal friends of a senior Councillor (or Council employee rather) and that the sale had been 'highly in-appropiate' and 'mutually very beneficial'....(I think that means corrupt-Ed)
I politely raised these issues with Merv, but he didn't seem to appreciate the question, and he just snapped; "Why don't you just get out and stop making trouble?" He was absolutely furious, spittle flying from his lips to land on the table...not quite apoplectic but still hilarious to watch.
Probaly didn't help that I laughed at his little beady-eyed tantrum, but I couldn't help it. From the moment I walked in, having never met him before, it was immediately obvious to me that this was a devious and untrustworthy individual who was going to be very problematic to deal with...and he didn't disappoint me.
And that was about the end of that; I left the office, stopped paying rent, and moved out a few months later. The owners sent the police after me for the rent and I spoke to them once about what had been happening, and nothing ever came from it.
From that meeting with Merv it was immediately and obviously clear that something was not right about the 'sale' or 'lease' (whatevs), and when I had the bare-faced audacity to ask those questions, Cr White's response indicated that he knew what it was that had happend, and exactly why he didn't want it being discussed.
Merv continues to entertain with his own special brand of insular, biased thinking and questionable conduct; his latest effort in Council about the 'consultation', etc, with the Lady Nelson Bus Shelter was a master class in refusing to let reality impinge on your own position and belief.
I've watched this commmunity go from a vibrant one with potential for development and growth, to a divided community bankrupted by the incompetence, selfishness, nepotism, and corruption of a handful of people; and Merv White is one of them.
To me he epitomises everything that is so rancidly wrong with City Council, and is a walking billboard for limited terms of office in local government. Sack him; sack Ian Von Stanke; sack Des Mutton; and then sack the rest of them as well.
Tomorrow: Labour MLC Kyam Maher - Different Wallpaper, Same Wall.
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