The Local Paper - Wednesday, June 14, 2017 - Page 00
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Latest Council News
‘$24.7 mil. reserve’ questioned Healy back in the Chamber
● Chris Healy: returned to Murrindindi Shire table ■ Chris Healy - the Murrindindi Shire former Councillor soon to face five charges relating to alleged misuse of position fronted the Council table last Wednesday (June 7) night. Mr Healy, who served as Eildon Ward Councillor but did not re-stand at last October’s local government elections, made a five-minute submission to Councillors at a special meeting. The 45-minute meeting was called by Council to discuss its Draft Council Plan and Draft Budget, and allowed submitters to speak directly to Councillors about their concerns. Mr Healy was served with papers earlier this year relating to the five charges alleging misuse of position. The Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate alleges that as a former councillor, Mr Healy attempted to gain an advantage on five separate occasions by making improper use of information acquired while a councillor in written or oral submissions regarding Murrindindi Shire’s proposed rating strategy. The matters have been adjourned to Mansfield Court, to be heard on Wednesday, July 5. “The adjournment is to allow time for Mr Healy's lawyer, Greg George of Tehan George & Co., to familiarise himself with the brief of evidence,” Steve Pogonowski, Senior Communications Adviser of the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate, told The Local Paper. “The Inspectorate won't be providing any further comment as the matter is still before the courts,” Mr Pogonowski said. Mr Healy used his five minutes to remind Councillors that the Budget document belonged to them, not the Chief Executive Officer and her staff. “Ownership” of the Budget rested with the Councillors, as elected representatives of the community, Mr Healy said. It was not the Council’s responsibility to build up reserves. Reserves had grown from $3.4 million before the Black Saturday fires, Mr Healy claimed.
■ Murrindindi Council’s financial reserves would reach a staggering $24.7 million in the 2017-18 year, former Councillor Chris Healy claimed last Wednesday (June 7). “This extra has come out of the ratepayers’ pocket,” Mr Healy said, comparing a reserve of $3.4 million before the Black Saturday fires in 2009. A great deal had been said about Murrindindi Council losing its rate base after the 2009 fires, but in fact rate collection had only dropped by 1 per cent in the next year, he said. This was more than made up by grants and other finance from the Victorian State Government, Mr Healy said. Funding since had more than made up over the years. Mr Healy, in an submission restricted by Mayor Cr Charlie Bisset to five minutes, said it was not Council’s role to build up financial reserves to such an extent. There was a variance between the amounts of cash and ‘cash equivalents’ stated in the Council’s draft budget, Mr Healy claimed. He gave examples of previous financial figures. “A huge amount of money has accrued.” He said a $9 million reserves amount mentioned in the Council’s Plan was actually $22.8 million. Mr Healy questioned if money from unpaid projects over the years had been transferred to reserves. Mike Dalmau, President of Murrindindi Inc., called on the Council to be open and engaging with the local business community. He did not believe this had been the case in previous years, and he congratulated Council on its new approach. Accompanied by Murrindindi Inc. Vice-President Don Knight, Mr Dalmau said that if Murrindindi Shire was to grow, people would only come if there was jobs. He said it was much easier to have 10 local businesses each add one job, rather than try to attract one new business that would offer 10 jobs. He gave the example of a bright outlook with a $20 million golf course project being commenced in the Shire. Mr Dalmau said there was a clash of two cultures: one culture was that of bureaucratic organisations that had a focus on conformity with legislation; the other culture came from private enterprise that took calculated risks and made things happen. In the past, Government and Council had dictated to businesses. Council had to realise that more businesses meant more rates. Councillors should be mindful that they were not setting up Economic Development and Tourism department staff for failure, by underresourcing them. Murrindindi Inc’s submission to Council was that the parties work co-operatively to make the the community a more thriving place. Cr Bec Bowles asked Mr Dalmau to elaborate on what he meant by by giving appropriate resources to staff. Mr Dalmau said it took time for Council Economic Development staff to build rapport and relationships. Murrindindi Inc could access funding, and it was important to work co-operatively with Council.
COMMENT
Opportunity for Council to communicate
● Mike Dalmau: urged Council to work in partnership John Griffiths, of Kinglake Once these events were in place, Ranges, addressed Murrindindi it was difficult to close them down, Council about its Draft Plan. or for dissenting voices to be heard. He said that former Mayor, Lyn It was something of a miracle that Gunter, had made previous submis- McKenzie Reserve survived. sions about the matter of Council The environment could not speak budgets and reserves. for itself, so there was a reliance of There was legitimate concern, he environmentally-aware people to said, about the ongoing deficits. The speak out. They were not antiShire has projected a $1 million loss progress, and not anti-development. this year, and ongoing deficits of $½ Her comments were supported by million in each of the coming 10 Brian Hender. years. Steve Bahlen said of the draft BudWhat is the true position of Coun- get: “There is a lot of confusion in cil reserves? interpreting that document.” “The community has suffered Mr Bahlen asked question about poor governance since Black Satur- the cost of employees, and the moday,” Mr Griffiths said. tor vehicles provided to them. Council needs to accept criticism. He queried the figure of $265,000 Mr Griffiths gave the example for legal expenses in the 2016-17 of the bushfire memorial yet to be year. installed at Kinglake West, eight Mr Bahlen why the Council deyears after the disaster. Council had tailed plans to borrow $500,000 anannounced plans to place the me- nually for each of the next five finanmorial behind the Kinglake West cial reserves when there was $22 milpublic toilet block. lion in reserves: “Why not use that This was disgraceful, he said. He money?” announced that he had placed a FreeCouncil executive Andrew Bond, dom of Information request to see answering a question from Cr Marif the “true facts” of the community’s garet Rae, said that the borrowing wishes had been presented to Coun- mention was an enabling provision, cillors. not mandatory. Mr Griffiths said Council had Michael Chesworth, Manager of performed babdly over the ‘C54’ Corporate and Community, said the planning scheme matter to consoli- Plan attempted to bring together varidate the Kinglake West and Pheas- ous expectations of the community. ant Creek areas. The Council’s draft budget and Joan Edwards told Council that plan return for a vote at a special she was representing the environ- meeting to be held at Alexandra at ment, which had received little cov- 6pm on Wednesday next week (June erage in the Council’s future plan. 21). The health of the natural environ- ■ Cr Eric Lording, of King Parrot ment was the most important factor. Ward, did not attend last Ms Edwards gave local examples Wednesday’s Council meeting. His of environmental degradation in the six colleagues - Crs Ashe, Bisset, Alexandra area since 1965, speak- Bowles, Dunscombe, McAulay, Rae ing of a motor-cycle rally. - were present.
■ The late great Editor of The Age, Graham Perkin, reminded journalists that it was not their role to be the unpaid publicists of avenues of government. Perkin’s words, uttered in the 1970s, are a caution for local newspapers not to mindlessly reprint Council media releases, without question or analysis (or without payment for the space!). Murrindindi Shire Council has a challenge to communicate its messages, more clearly, more widely. There is no doubt that the Council has some talented spin doctors on its payroll. The almostweekly press statements spew out, but usually only get unedited traction in the smaller-circulation paid newspapers and on the Council website. Council’s current media strategy of restricting its media message of paid advertisements to the cover-priced newspapers (with their websites hidden behind paywalls) does not reach more than 60 per cent of the Murrindindi Shire population. That type of secrecy disrespects the majority of Murrindindi Shire ratepayers and residents. The strategy is a failure. A number of speakers addressed the communication topic at last Wednesday’s special meeting of Council held at the Alexandra chamber. No local online news service was there. The Local Paper DID attend. Prominent local business man, Mike Dalmau, President of Murrindindi Inc. (accompanied by Vice-President Don Knight) made the point to Councillors of the need to work co-operatively. John Griffiths, long-time resident of Kinglake, said that the Council needed to take notice of what residents were saying. Council is putting much store into its ‘Have Your Say’ survey conducted earlier this year. “Have Your Say’ reached only 11 per cent of the population. On the other hand, more people signed petitions calling for administrators to be appointed to Murrindindi , Mr Griffiths said. Cr Jackie Ashe said there were better ways for Council to communicate and provide a ‘snapshot’ of its financial position. Murrindindi Council has an opportunity - and a duty - to communicate more clearly and widely with its people.