WE DONT RATE IT
Dear Editor,
Mrs Gash knew about the city’s
finances and said there would be no rate rise prior to the election. I find it interesting
that The South Coast Register reported to the contrary. Mrs Gash’s Deputy Mayor
the ex –Shoalhaven City Council Director John Wells- took the opportunity to
brief the public at meet the candidate’s forums on Councils financial state,
and how he intended to fix it.
Mrs Gash was present at nearly
all these meetings. I would also expect that Mr Wells being an ex-Director of
the city knows the financial reporting of local government very well and was in
a strong position to advise TEAM GASH of the impending deficit IF Council
continues building new projects.
Apart from Clr Patricia White of TEAM
Gash, the candidates were absent from the public gallery prior to the election.
From the public gallery TEAM GASH-ers would have learnt meeting procedure and gotten
a handle on current issues and been up to date with many aspects of Council
including finances and policy. For people to take such an interest in the
Shoalhaven to stand and achieve election it’s incredible they wasted this
opportunity. For the majority of TEAM
GASH-ers the first time they set foot in the chambers was at the first meeting.
TEAM- GASH have control of
Council decision making and have no need to justify their position. This is
evident in the lack of debate in the chamber. TEAM GASH-ers deny residents a different point of view to debate issues and
have any effect on policy.
TEAM GASH members have admitted that they were
“confused” at Council meetings and “don’t understand what’s going on”. Another TEAM GASH-er commented to me that the
floor of the ordinary meeting was not a place to bring up issues. I was also
told to ‘write a letter as a private citizen’ rather than bring issues to the
floor.
1 comment:
What Councillor candidate or Mayoral candidate would enter an election without having a good idea of Council's financial position? Didn't Mrs Gash attend the Budget public consultation sessions? And why wouldn't a Mayor know that Deputations are allowed for Extra Ordinary meetings? Anyone that came along to Council meetings would know that basic right as well as have a good understanding of Council issues and procedures before standing for election.
Mrs Gash campaigned on extensive local government experience. To turn around and say "had she known" is really not good enough. If she didn't know that, what else doesn't she know? Scary.
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