Surf Coast Times
Tuesday 28 September 2010
VOL 8. No 39
www.surfcoasttimes.com.au
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The UCI World Road Cycling Championship festival kicks off today in Geelong. Torquay is playing host to three top-class teams, including the Belgian national squad. See full story Page 4. Photo: ALISON APRHYS
RON’S RETURN Mayor Libby Coker congratulates Ron Humphrey on his return to council.
Photo: MICHAEL CHAMBERS
Humphrey forced to juggle obligations with ratepayers association and his re-election to council
BY NATHAN HALE
SURF Coast Shire’s newest councillor, Ron Humphrey, has been left to perform a delicate balancing act. Humphrey was elected to council last Thursday following a countback of votes after councillor Lindsay Schroeter surprised everyone last month by announcing his resignation. Humphrey’s return, however, is certain to raise eyebrows as he is the newly elected president of the Surf Coast Community Ratepayers Association.
Surf Forecast
While many will see the position of councillor and head of the local ratepayers association as in direct conflict, Humphrey is hoping to be able to perform both duties. “I have been a member of the ratepayers association for something like seven years,” Humphrey confirmed. “Spencer Leighton was president but he has stood down and I have taken over the role… so now that I am back on council there might be some conflicts of interest that I will have to deal with. “However, I am very keen to give the community
a voice and being president of the ratepayers association was one way of doing that. “Now that I am back on council nothing has changed… I still want to be able to provide a voice for the community.” Surf Coast Shire director of corporate services, Stephen Wall, said council would not be forcing Humphrey to quit his presidency. “Council provides training and guidance to councillors in relation to conflicts of interest,” he said. “It is up to individual councillors to declare any
conflicts as appropriate.” Former shire mayor, Keith Grossman, said if Humphrey is to perform his council duties to the best of his capabilities that he should stand down from his position with the ratepayers association. “In these type of organisations you have to be fairly neutral,” he said. “So I don’t really think he should be holding down that position and being a councillor as well.” Although Michael Lewis and Garry Kerr gained more votes than Humphrey at the 2008 election, Humphrey benefitted from preference votes.
WED 3-5ft dropping, SW 13° THU 2-4ft average, S/SW 16° FRI 1-2t small N 15° SAT 1-2ft average E/NE 16°
Andrew
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