Paper wars
FIGHTING among South Gippsland Shire councillors has escalated ahead of the April 27 council meeting that is already expected to be fiery.
Some councillors have criticised Cr Don Hill for using a council photocopier to print 5000 double-sided copies of a newsletter at a cost of $990.
Fellow Tarwin Valley Ward councillors Nigel Hutchinson-Brooks and Jim Fawcett said the newsletter was “electioneering”, but Cr Hill said he was simply informing his constituents.
The April meeting is due to hear a report about the outcome of an investigation by a code of conduct panel involving councillors Hill and Fawcett.
Councillors were interviewed by the panel in January. The panel included a representative of the state’s peak local government body, the Municipal Association of Victoria.
The Star was told at the time a report would be prepared for Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins and her response would come back to council.
Cr Hill last week used a photocopier in council’s Leongatha offices to produce a newsletter he entitled Tarwin Valley Ward Newsletter.
The newsletter invites constituents to contact Cr Hill about planning issues, expresses his opposition to the proposed council municipal precinct and raises his alternative suggestion.
The newsletter also explains his plan for budgets with a two per cent rate rise for 15 years and calls for each area of the shire to have a locally elected mini-council responsible for service delivery.
The newsletter also a flags a motion about coal seam gas to be raised at the April meeting and includes the branding logo of the Tarwin Valley Development Group. Cr Hill said he did not obtain permission from the group to use the logo but did not believe there was a problem in doing so, adding he used the logo on his Facebook page too.
Cr Hill said he was allowed to use the council photocopier to produce the newsletter.
“We (councillors) are entitled to a minimum level of resources, including stationery, photocopying, telephones, etc and that is to allow us to do our job,” he said.
Cr Hill said any criticism of his use of the council photocopier was simply another example of the “majority bloc” of council accusing himself and Cr Andrew McEwen of electioneering.
“One of the roles of a councillor is to inform constituents. I have come to the conclusion the majority of people out there are not aware of what council is doing and as the ward representative, I believe it is my job to find out what ratepayers want and report back to them,” he said.
“I have felt constant pressure from the majority bloc of councillors that just do not want councillors to communicate with ratepayers. They do not want alternate views to be discussed in the community.”
Cr Hill said an “enormous number of people” had contacted him in relation to the newsletter and as a result, he was improving council’s community satisfaction survey rating in the ward.
“I’m one of the two councillors that live in the Tarwin Valley Ward and I feel this is my role to inform the Tarwin Valley Ward of my activities,” he said.
Cr Hill distributed the newsletter by foot and vehicle to letterboxes in Mirboo North, Leongatha and rural areas last week with wife Barbara.
The newsletter is the first Cr Hill has published in his term of three and half years, and comes just six months out from the October council election and soon after shire citizen of the year Maxine Kiel announced she would contest Tarwin Valley Ward.
Mrs Kiel is widely known throughout Mirboo North and is the current president of the town’s peak community group, Mirboo North Country Development.
Cr Hill said the newsletter was not prompted by Mrs Kiel declaring her intention and said he welcomed a contest in the ward.
He said Mrs Kiel, and another council candidate Meg Edwards of Fish Creek, were both “excellent candidates”.
Council CEO Tim Tamlin confirmed the colour copies cost council $990.
In a joint statement, councillors Hutchinson-Brooks and Fawcett said concerned residents made them aware Cr Hill had used council resources to produce the pamphlet.
“We are informed the newsletter was printed using council facilities and materials, and consisted of many thousands of personalised colour printed pamphlets. The costs to our ratepayers would be substantial,” they said.
“We have read the document and note that it does not promote council services or policies. Rather, it seeks to publicise Cr Hill’s own views and policies. It would appear to be self serving and promoting Cr Hills’ own interests.
“By omission it also does not provide a fair or balanced view of council. In the last year of council it could easily be seen as blatant electioneering.
“We will urgently seek advice from officers and Cr Hill on this possible abuse of council resources and any explanation Cr Hill may care to offer. We would certainly not condone the use of council resources in this way. We would not do it ourselves.
“We believe it would certainly fail the pub test around how councillors should spend ratepayer funds.
“We will also consider what other action can or should be taken under our Councillor Code of Conduct and local government laws.
“We would also like to make it clear that Cr Hill is not restricted in how he can communicate his views to ratepayers and residents. The question is who should pay: the ratepayer or Cr Hill.”
Mayor Cr Bob Newton only wished to say, “I’m not happy with it, but that is just my personal opinion.”
Delivering message: South Gippsland Shire councillor Don Hill distributes his Tarwin Valley Ward Newsletter in Leongatha last Friday.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Apr 12 2016. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
