Notice of Special Council Meeting
Posted on: Wednesday, 1 July 2015 at 3:52:56 PMNOTICE OF SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING - 2 JULY 2015
A Special Council Meeting will be held on Thursday 2 July 2015 commencing at 5:00pm at the York Recreation & Convention Centre - Barker Street, York.PURPOSE OF THE MEETING:
- Purchase of 25 & 27 South Street, York
- Change of date for the September 2015 Agenda Settlement Briefing and the Ordinary Council Meeting
- Leave Without Pay
- Application for a loan
- MOU between York Racing INC and the Shire of York
- Petition - Request for a Special Meeting of Electors
- Confidential Item - Staff Matter - Appointment of Manager Development Services
GRAEME SIMPSON
Acting Chief Executive Officer
OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
“That the Commissioner:
1. Confirms the delegation of power given to the Acting Chief Executive Officer on 18 June, 2015 to negotiate for an offer to be made to purchase the properties at 25 & 27 South Street, York.
2. Authorises the purchase of 25 & 27 South Street, York (C/T 2742/29 and C/T 2742/30) for the consideration of $625,000 payable by a deposit of $5,000 within 18 days of acceptance of the Shires offer and the balance at settlement, subject to finance and settlement to be within 30 days from financial approval.”
OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
“That the Commissioner:
Make formal application to raise a loan of $625,000 from WA Treasury Corporation for the purpose of acquiring Lots 800 & 801 in South Street, York.”
Sneaky bastard.
ReplyDeleteCorruption is alive and well in York, why is Best doing this, is his hatred so intense for the people of York he feels he needs to punish us?
ReplyDeleteHorrible horrible little man.
You'd think so by the way he behaves,
DeleteJust ring your friends and get them to come to the Shire meeting tomorrow at 5pm. Show the new management that we all care, it would be great to have standing room only or even better no room for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe the Minister or his Department would allow this unconscionable conduct to happen, where the f***k is Mia Davies or Paul Brown when you need them?
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable he has a petition from 260 residents words escape me.......... no tender consultation nothing.
ReplyDeleteDarlene, he wants to rush this all through before the Electors meeting can be held.
DeleteHe is showing his true colours.
No transparency just waiting to find out how he gets us the tip, how proud his family must be of him. sneaky sly man.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah James Best take our power back all the dribble about us giving our power away you double crossing B.
ReplyDeleteYour just as corrupt as the rest and as for the minister what the hell you have done FA. this is just ridiculous he has a request from 260 concerned residents and he is trying to take our power.
Why is Best retrospectively confirming a delegation of power on 18 June?
ReplyDeleteWhy does the contract documentation have an incorrect date inserted?
Why would an offer be made on 18 June without a budget allocation or funding in place?
Why the urgency to make an offer on 18 June, why wasn't this matter tabled at the OCM 22 June and prior to the budget?
On what authority was the offer made - was it subject to Best approving the budget on 25 June?
In the absence of a Finance Risk & Audit Committee (or Audit Advisory Group)on what legal basis did Commissioner Best offer to purchase and when did he make such a recommendation...... which would have been to himself?
How can Best possibly be an impartial decision maker ?
Commissioner Best and CEO Simpson should take another look at the very suspect Probity Report which led to the suspension of our elected Council - Recommendations 7 and 16, you arrogant fools.
PROBITY - the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
For ease of reference, see recommendations with No 8 included as a flow on from No 7.
DeleteRecommendation 7
That Council ensures all of it motions are in a form that is clear in the intent. Each motion should stand alone and allow a person to understand exactly what decision has been made without the need to refer to any other document.
Recommendation 8
That key members of staff undertake training in report writing and the framing of recommendations that support clarity in council motions.
Recommendation 16
That council give priority to reviewing its policy manual and policies to support a high standard of direction and guidance in its decision making processes.
Delegation of power given to the Acting Chief Executive Officer on 18 June, 2015 ??? By what heavenly beings? A search of the Shire's website reveals no Council Meeting on 18 June 2015. No heavenly visitations, either. And no wonder the Finance Committee or FRAC was abolished ahead of all this; and the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Works Advisory Committee for that matter. The Big C must have thought that the 6 new Advisory Committees would be more amenable to agreeing with questionable procedures and processes, since 'anyone can join in'. Well, 250 ratepayers in town in a limited space of time this last weekend (and that was a pretty good representation of the limited numbers who came into town on Sat and Sun) signed a Petition that was not what the Big C would have been pleased to note when he saw the numbers.
ReplyDeleteFor the Commissioner to Delegate authority to the ACEO and direct the ACEO to set up a meeting part of whose agenda is for the Commissioner to 'confirm delegation of power to the Acting Chief Executive Officer' to do anything at all is 'in-house' circular motion, locking everything into one endless circle of "You do what I say so I can do what I want" or "I'll set you up to set me up to set you up to set me up to set you up to set me up ad infinitum to rule this town in any way we choose". What a great 'team'. And those poor employees have to do exactly what they are told in order to further the goals of these two .....
My goodness, Just as expected 1 July 2015 at 04:13, you are so right!!
What has evolved in York in the last 6 months is the worst Shire nightmare ever!!!! Wolf in Sheep's Clothing came to mind the other day; or if you prefer 'Evil under the Sun', which 'whodunit' title Agatha Christie got from Ecclesiastes 10:5 which is a quote most uncomplimentary to certain rulers and overseers. We on the Blogs and citizens in the streets have been talking of Corruption. Dictionary meanings of the word corruption include moral perversion, corrupt or dishonest proceedings, debasement or alteration (such as calling black white and white black, as we have experienced these last weeks) and putrefactive decay or rottenness. Corruption, Evil, not much difference. Maybe none.
Come on, spend 625K so the Shire an make an L shape park into a square...plain idiocy.
ReplyDeleteWho conceived such an idea, Richard and Nola Bliss, no rational thinking person could dream up such a stupid plan unless there were ulterior motives. Is it conceivable that money could pass hands after the deal, I suggest its a highly likely scenario purely because of the lack of accountability.
These people are working against the public interest, it's almost become a game, tit for tat if you like. James Best and Graeme Simpson would not have approved of the front page of the Community Matters, thank god the Editor picked up on the strength of public feeling. Graeme Simpson loves the term 'a reasonable person' probably because he's aspired to be one for the past 40 years, not there yet Graeme, not even close.
ReplyDeleteNo reasonable thinking Local Government CEO would ever recommend a deal such as this. If Simpson thinks the town needs a 'square', then put together an argument to purchase the corner block on Avon Terrace/South Street, at least it's the right shape. Then allow the community to decide what's best for them, Ray Hooper had some bad traits but I don't believe he would have ever pulled a stunt like this.
Graeme Simpson has not come up with one solid argument to purchase these blocks, what next Faversham House?
James Best told us when he arrived we SHOULD take back our power!
ReplyDeleteWell Mr. Best, 250 people signed a petition in just a few short hours to have an Electors meeting to discuss your (and probably Blisses) sneaky deal to purchase the old Convent School'.
Why not let what Ray Hooper loved to ram down our throats to take place - due process.
If you are any sort of a human Mr. Best you will postpone the decision to purchase the convent school UNTIL after the Electors have had their democratic say at an Electors meeting - that would be fair and reasonable. That is of course, unless you have breached the Local Government Act by signing documents BEFORE the correct process has taken place - which is what it is looking like to the people of York.
Mr. Best seems to be in one hell of a hurry to stitch up all financial deals before we get our Council back - why not wait until AFTER the October election and let OUR elected representatives make the decisions.
It was noted Tony Boyle was in the Shire office with Mr. Best and Mr. Simpson - of course Tony Boyle is behind the Shire getting their grubby hands on the York Race Club Title deeds. Hence the hurried MOA for todays meeting.
Why not let the people decide thisTony? Have you forgotten you are no longer a York Councillor and were ordered to make a public apology for your disgusting behaviour when you were a Councillor.
The people of York do not want you making decisions for them any more Tony because you cannot be trusted.
Just going over entries in both blogs is it true Gorden Tester has been re- employed?
ReplyDeletewhen and where was this Job advertised for employment?
where interviews conducted?
My friend from Perth has been canvasing the SOY website daily and has seen no positions vacant but I am aware that the shire has possibly employed Mr Tester and I believe pr consultants, journalist, who else with out advertisement or tender?
On the Agenda today at the Special Council meeting
DeleteCONFIDENTIAL REPORT
9.6.1 – Staff Matter – Appointment of Manager Development Services
Manage the effective operation of the Shire’s Planning, Building and Environmental Health sections.
Same position advertised in other WA Council's
City of Bussleton - Total package approx. $140,000 pa (overseeing 25 staff)
Shire of Dardanup - Up to $100,000 (Eaton forms the largest part of the Shire’s rate base and commercial hub (as in Eaton Fair Shopping Centre) with a population of about 10,000).
From the same agenda:
ReplyDeleteThe recently appointed A/DCEO is not up to the task of A/CEO, however, the Works Manager is....go figure!
FROM THE SHIRE OF YORK WEBSITE
ReplyDeleteExtracts from:
LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLAN 2013-14 TO 2022-23 (LTFP)
1.5 STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK
The framework guides the Council in identifying community needs and aspirations over the long term (Strategic Community Plan), medium term (Corporate Business Plan) and short term (Annual Budget), and then holds itself accountable (Audited Financial Statements). The Council, in preparing a long term financial plan, will seek to answer the following-
The affordability of the community’s needs and wants;
How can we plan to achieve the desired outcomes;
Meeting future challenges and pressures; and
Achieving financial sustainability.
The LTFP establishes the financial direction of the Council in order to meet the funding requirements over the next 10 years. The Plan is prepared in conjunction with the Councils Corporate Business Plan to ensure the affordability of services and facilities incorporated into the Corporate Business Plan.
Pg 19
3.1.1 Findings
An analysis of the above financial information reveals that for the 2012-13 financial year the Shire has an operational deficit of $1.219M inclusive of depreciation, or a surplus of $0.40M excluding depreciation (non cash).
This continuing trend will place the Shire as unsustainable (deficit of $1,218,962 divided by Rates revenue of $3,764,540 = -32.38%) if the current service delivery levels are maintained and if no alternative revenue sources are identified.
Pg 24
5.0 FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
5.1 WHAT IS LONG TERM FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
In order for the Shire to be financially sustainable it needs to fund ongoing service delivery and the replacement of assets without imposing excessive debt or rate increases on future generations; in other words it needs to maintain intergenerational equity.
The key financial sustainability principles are-
1. The Shire must achieve a fully funded operational position; that is it must collect sufficient revenue to fund operational expenditure, depreciation and interest on borrowings.
Pg 38
6.2.5 Borrowings
The Shire will be prudent and fiscally responsible when considering any proposals for new debt to deliver Council’s objectives.
The Shire does not propose to borrow funds over the life of the Plan.
For further information on Borrowings, please see Section 9.3.7 of this Plan.
9.3.7.2 New Borrowings
No new loans are proposed to be raised over the life of the Plan.
Pg 57
11.0 RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk can be simply defined as the effect of uncertainty on the objectives of the Shire. When evaluating risks the following issues must be understood –
5. Uncertainty is the state, even partial, of deficiency of information related to, understanding or knowledge of, an event, its consequences, or likelihood.
Despite the Shire's own goals as per your extract from the LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLAN 2013-14 TO 2022-23 (LTFP), Just as expected1 July 2015 at 22:05, the 'Great Man' (not) has thrown caution to the wind. What next?
ReplyDeleteI was absolutely appalled by Best's behavior at the meeting tonight. A truly nasty little egotistical autocratic shite of a man.
ReplyDeleteNot even State or Federal Governments are permitted to make financial commitments whilst in Care taker mode.
ReplyDeletePerhaps James Best's ego led him to believe he was a messiah for York
Bests behaviour was disgusting this evening and the Minister for Local Government should dismiss him immediately - how dare he treat our Shire President so disgracefully in a public forum.
I was proud to be part of the unanimous VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN JAMES BEST the Commissioner and the A/CEO Graeme Simpson.
Jane Ferro - you are a hero and did us proud. We need you to seriously consider standing for Council. I know Ian was so proud of tonight and I am sure he will now realise your value as a spokes person for the community.
By the way, I counted heads and there were 250 people excluding the boys in blue
Congratulations to Mike Gill - you did a great job tonight Mike. Any chance the questions you asked and information you provided to the meeting could be posted on the Blog.
ReplyDeleteThe people around the State need to know exactly what James Best was told prior to his decision making stuff up.
Sounds like Best has just purchased us a lemon - he even admitted the building needs under pinning.
He has absolutely no idea the costs involved in this. He had a duty of care to do what was best for the people and he failed to do that by purchasing a building without a sworn valuation, therefore I believe he should be held accountable for the cost of the building.
I also question the integrity of the sellers of the building.
Well done Mike. There is no harm in educating the public to be 'buyer beware'.
DeleteI thought he did a good job as well. What happens when one engineer declares a building unsafe and another doesn't, seems the obvious thing to do is play on the safe side, especially when the building will be a public one.
DeleteThe Special Council meeting tonight was the most disgraceful display of rudeness by any Public Servant I have ever witnessed. I am referring of course to James Best the commissioner. What an arrogant little twerp. He showed no respect for our Shire President at all.
ReplyDeleteMr. Best even stated very loudly "THIS IS A GOVERNMENT MEETING". Like we were supposed to be impressed or perhaps even scared? Maybe it was a feeble attempt to make himself feel important. Poor chap has a serious case of small man syndrome.
Just to refresh your memory Mr. Best, it was actually a Shire of York Special Council meeting, unless of course you misled the people with the heading on the Agenda.
We could have been forgiven for thinking we had been taken over by the Gestapo the way it was run.
Approximately 240-250 people attended and he tells us we can only have 15 minute question time. Oh dear we were straight back to the Hooper, Boyle, Hooper era. We even had the Gavel banged loudly just to remind us of the old days. Where do these people come from?
James Best agreed behind closed doors, BEFORE the budget was passed, to purchase a Heritage listed building for us .
The A/CEO admitted they did not obtain a sworn valuation but felt they got a bargain.
Then Best tells us the walls need under pinning. Now that was a really great bargain ay.
A Civil Engineer then said he was prepared to declare it was an unsafe building. I will put my money on the Civil Engineer!
Make sure you list this York fiasco on your CV Mr. Best.
Best then tells us the Shire will get $15,000 a year rent - is this after we pay for the repairs?
He has stitched this town up for a huge debt just one day before he leaves. If I may so, that in itself is very suspicious. What exactly is he getting out of this deal from Bliss?
I think you have done enough damage in York Mr. Best, time for you to move on. Sorry, no feather in your cap for your effort this time.
The people of York will come up with a name for the Town Square no one wants except the Blisses of course. Best's Bliss Blunder.
Unconscionable that armed police were asking members of the public to leave the building, until that is, they were politely reminded that the Recreation Centre is a municipal pub and that members of the public had every right to be there.
ReplyDeleteAlthough when our former Commissioner Gavan Troy left he had made one bad mistake in delegating too much authority to the then CEO, he at least left with his level of respect reasonably intact. When he set up Reference Groups and wide community consultation early in the piece, he did not waver from keeping those commitments throughout the complete year. He attended public events with dignity, and his departure was smooth.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the case with the nearly-finished Commissioner. He set up less Advisory groups, he narrowed down their agendas (none of them formalised or minuted etc...), he turned up late to meetings, he cancelled them in the end, he abolished the 3 existing Advisory groups, he disrespected our Shire President last night at least, he behaved spitefully in last night's meeting by cutting people short and saying "OK, I'll pass this item immediately" and rushing it off in an almost 'tit for tat' manner, almost like a petulant child.
There is no doubt whatsoever that Mr Best leaves this town with his reputation in tatters. Even highly-respected long-term residents with a great love of York and its heritage could not sit and listen to the remainder of the meeting after question time and the resounding expression of NO CONFIDENCE in the treacherous Commissioner who in the last weeks in particular has behaved in a way that seems to be an attempt to 'get back on York residents' for having had a mind and trying to get past injustices and errors fixed. He has passed items the bulk of us would not endorse, as though it were a last-ditch effort to suppress everything we value and give the lie to everything we have been saying. He might as well have trampled us all into the ground if he could.
Any respect he might have left with is gone.
Don't you worry, you can bet James Best insisted on the Police being there.
ReplyDeleteMr. Best, those attending the meeting last night had more dignity and respect for their fellow attendees than to waste time and energy doing anything the Police would consider requiring intervention.
Best wanted to make York residents look as bad as he can possibly could look last night. It is our punishment because we were a wake up to him and didn't worship his so called expertise.
The people had every right to voice their concerns about the deal - we DO NOT want any more debt!
Best said those at the meeting were not in a position could not speak for the rest of the Community.
Firstly, Mr. Best if the whole community had turned up, you would not have fitted them all in the pub!
Secondly, we could speak for the those who couldn't attend, just like those who vote at Shire Elections decide who we will have as our elected members!
Best you didn't even have the guts to wait until the people held the Electors meeting 260 residents requested when they signed a petition. Shows exactly what you are made of.
The number quoted previously is about spot on - people were crowded around the corner and couldn't even see Best, so what ever number he comes up with will be inaccurate because he was sitting down and the people at the back had to stand because there were not enough chairs to sit on. THAT was a breach of your Duty of Care Mr. Best!
I know he considers he is bloody clever, however, I doubt he could see round the corner where more people had to stand.
It was the largest crowd ever to attend a Special Council Meeting - the closest number to that was 70 something, the night before Ray Hooper resigned.
Last night I was among those who clapped resoundingly at the call for a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE in the Commissioner. I clapped so hard that my hands and wrists hurt for a while afterwards.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I was one of the minority who stayed in the room after Question Time, for the purpose of witnessing what would happen in the remainder of the meeting.
Mr Best took the opportunity to give us a speech on what the Scapegoat-for-everything-bad (ref. Agenda of 22 July, 'Background' on the rejection of the the FitzGerald Report) had cost us, when you put together the figure of $38,000 for the Report itself (the Council had on 14 April last year authorised only $20,000 for this investigation plus another if need be), $140,000 plus for supposedly associated legal costs,$77,000 plus for payouts, and various other nefarious sums all of which added up to almost $808,000. By implication, we the Ratepayers are (in his wishful thinking) to blame for so much 'Council' expenditure, and so we have only ourselves to blame (by extension) for the messes the Shire is in — which of course would also mean by extension the need to raise rates.
Has he hoped this would all dwarf the wasted expenditure on the Rec. Centre (well, insofar as that is a gigantic debt and the stages such as parking area haven't been finished, and drains have burst, and the aircon is/was not adjusted easily, etc... etc...? Has he hoped this would dwarf the cost of the 'pup' we have been sold for $625,000 in the form of a building for $625,000 which is in only 'fair' condition (as admitted by the A/CEO) with walls needing shoring up, floor needing underpinning etc, plus interest, plus whatever other unknown costs will arise? This is an act of sheer 'speculation' on OUR money.
The speech was a despicable compilation of statistics to pander to his friends and try and destroy the good name of all who have sought justice and the acknowledgement of the wrongs done in the last 10 years to good people who have loved and served York.
Then he tells us there were other costs stemming from all this, such as the loss of the body of knowledge and experience the Shire lost when various resigned and had to be replaced by less experienced people. Well, if the Shire had been open and accountable in the first place and negotiated sensibly with business people and other citizens, and a certain councillor on the one hand and a certain former CEO on the other had not broken their Code of Conduct, etc...etc... none of this would have happened.
I'm so glad you confirmed this, as I thought I had imagined it. After Mr Best made his political escape (try and save some face) speech about the various things costing $808,000.00, he then went on to say that the Shire was nearly insolvent. Not so insolvent to stop him borrowing $625,000.00 for a lemon though!
DeleteYes, Anonymous 2 July 2015 at 22:42, I had in my notes an arrow from his listing of costs (monetary and staff expertise) to his reference to 'potential insolvency'. He did indeed suggest a connection between the costs he blames on the community and the potential insolvency he would never take responsibility for for. My notes also record a threat that ...."could be here longer than six months".
ReplyDeleteWell, Well, Well. Now they can't get their figures to agree. An article in http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-03/wheatbelt-shire-distances-itself-from-self/6593468 says:
ReplyDelete"The shire's commissioner, James Best, said the report, which cost almost $80,000 to complete, was not a waste of ratepayers' money. "I think the report has identified some of the perceptions, some of the misconceived approach about how the shire was being operated," he said.
"Personally, I wouldn't have gone through the FitzGerald Report approach," he said.
"I would have gone through a community capacity-building approach, which is a much more productive and positive approach to building a relationship between the shire and the community."
$38,000, the bundle of associated (the way he put the costs all as related last night) matters adding to nearly $808,000, and now $80,000!! How to arrange the data any way you wish!!
Part 1 With Regard to the graffiti on the shire building. I know whomever did it must be at the end of their wits to do this, I know this because those that have been on this Ferris wheel for nearly a decade feel that you would not have done it for the hell of it , it is your way of venting your frustration in this nightmare.
ReplyDeletewhile I understand your frustration and did take some pleasure from it. I in no way condone what you have done, Please don't continue to do it again, as it just wastes more money and gives them the shire the opportunity to say look there are uncivilised, if your not coping or have issues that maybe someone can steer you in the right direction or someone can assist you with your complaints against local government there are plenty of us out there that you can contact that are doing the same thing.
Part 2 Now this morning after getting a text from a friend about the graffiti I drove past the shire to my amazement it was still up there at 8.30 am , remembering the Ray Hooper ones they were gone before you could see them. I went about my day when returning to YORK , I drove past about 3pm I was astonished to see it all still up further more someone had carved out the word wanker on the far pillar I have been involved with getting rid of graffiti in the past by using a solvent to get the bulk of it off and then covering it with some paint applied by a roller Quick fix until it can be painted over by the correct colour,
ReplyDeleteI called Mr Best to ask him why this simple remedy had not been thought of because it was pretty simple to me and to find out who would have authorised that the paint be scraped of to the concrete effectively carving it in, unfortunately Mr Best did not answer, I then rang the shire and asked to speak to Graeme Simpson he was in a meeting the only other person I could think of talking to was Alan Rourke he was also in a meeting, I was asked by the woman on the phone could she help I said how come someone can't go down the hardware get a tin of paint roller it on her answer was that legally they could not paint over the graffiti, I commented on how ridiculous that was, a few minutes later I received a call from Alan Rourke, Now this is a man I did have some admiration for he seems to me a very sensible man but I am second guessing, he confirmed they need a professional painter that it was disgraceful graffiti on a public building and I agreed, and stated while I don't condone what this person has done I know where their frustration is coming from, I said to him this is ridiculous just go down to the hardware get some paint, paint over it, then came the wowser apparently they were going to leave it there for a week so every one can see what they have done that if it happened on the town hall that would be worse, ( please don't do it on the town hall enough enough) but the leaving it there for a week, I am a bit disappointed that you think that this person that did this represents all that are in grievance with the Shire and James Best and your leaving it up why to show the town what these people are like shame, shame you think that way about me, shame you think that way about a few of us because one person I presume because I don't know who it is has done this you brand us all, I personally have never attacked named or shamed any one nor attacked their property or person, I have relayed only the truth and am never one to say something is so, if it isn't, I always research my facts before I act, and I can stand with integrity and say that.
Part 3 I phoned the Department of Commerce that handles builders registration this afternoon, I also phoned 3 high profile commercial painters in Perth and they said basically get them to show you the legislation that sais they cant paint over the graffiti to cover it until the Job can be attended by a professional painter if that's who they want to use. the painting companies never heard of any thing so ridiculous in fact one said it was important to cover up a tag as soon as possible. I am disappointed. I'm disappointed that the act has happened but I' am even more disappointed that you would think so childishly to keep the blog up for a week because of one persons actions and blame it on the wider community who has genuine problems with the fact that the shire wants to follow a bogus policy or law procedure for painting over some graffiti and blatantly disregards policy law and procedure and just plain communication with its constituents in the purchase of a building that there has been no identification its needed or wanted, no consultation, no proper engineer structural report, no proper valuation. PLEASE we are not all morons some of us work in the industry, some of us are builders some of us are x council staff some of us are lawyers, engineers, painters some of us are business people and farmers don't all just drive tractors. really disappointed.
ReplyDeleteYes, anonymous 2 July 2015 at 18:06, Best did say that those at the meeting were not in a position to speak for the rest of the Community. In fact, he said the 'Silent Majority' were not there. Really! None of The Public were notified about the meeting till late the afternoon before, and those who did hear of it because they have requested e-mail notifications from the Shire then notified others of us; etc... etc... The whole town would not have known, some would still have been at work, some would have been out of town at work or driving home, some would have had prior engagements, and lots of the population are children, etc..... Neither can he assume that what he called The Silent Majority were on his side or that they admire and respect him.
ReplyDeleteEven last week at the Ordinary Council Meeting of 22nd, the Commissioner acknowledged that he was not popular, and at the Special Council Meeting on 25th this was reinforced by the nature of the questions the shocked ratepayers in attendance asked. After yesterday's meeting, he can be in no doubt of the deep suspicion with which he is regarded. From a 'bright shiny' start, to an end in ignominy.
Duperouzel used the 'silent majority' argument, or tied to use it. He stated on record, that because only 200-300 people turned up for a SITA meeting, according to his logic, that meant the 3500 people who did not turn up for the meeting were happy.
DeleteYou can't argue with people like this!
No you can't argue with them because they are not people, they simply crawl out from under rocks and create bloody havoc in the community.
DeleteJames Best tried to pull the same trick at the Special meeting, saying those present could not speak on behalf of the rest of the community.
Well we have got news for you Mr. Best - the York community have had enough of you and your public servant cohorts at the DLG.
The whole state of WA is watching what you people are trying to do to us here in York.
We want our Council and our democracy back and we want you to leave.
I hope other Local Government areas are watching closely what is happening here in York.
ReplyDeleteThe way our Council has been treated and the way James Best has conducted himself is a clear warning to all West Australians - believe me it can also happen to you.
A simple case of the Government introducing a Commissioner and low and behold you lose all your rights and you have debts piled onto you.
Commissione Best tell us we are almost bankrupt and then borrows another $625,000.
The Commissioners way of bringing us to our knees because we didn't fall for his visionary ideas.
Funny how james best claims success for vision meeting when 60 people turn up to the Castle Pub, but when there is standing room only at the wreck centre pub he claims we are the minority of York.
ReplyDeleteTwisting words might work where he comes from but the people of York are a lot smarter than him.
Not only does James Best now expect an armed police guard when in public, he has now ordered security guards for the Shire office.
ReplyDeleteThe man is paranoid.....just go James, have a holiday and give us one from your pathetic inadequacies.
I have an intense dislike for people like Best who request the police to be present at a Council meeting,
ReplyDelete