From nine to six: Council numbers dwindle as Burge takes leave to consider resignation

Their absence follows the resignation last year of former Deputy Mayor Paul Fellows.

Controversy around Mayor Peta Betts continues to grow, with Cr Burge citing concerns with Cr Betts and a ‘bloc mentality’ for her decision.

Interim CEO Gary Arnold yesterday confirmed there are two councillors on leave and one, possibly both, are expected to attend the June council meeting.

The latest developments continue the turmoil at ERC, which started when Mr Fellows resigned last year. While he cited “personal reasons”, the Pastoral Times believes it stemmed partly from concerns about behaviours of his fellow councillors, and particularly the mayor.

The mayor continues to hold her position and win every contentious vote with her bloc of supporters that includes Crs Linda Fawns, Shannon Sampson and Tarria Moore.

Cr Burge revealed to the Pastoral Times that she came close to resigning from council last week in sheer frustration, saying she feels her concerns and recommendations are largely ignored by her fellow councillors.

She said this is particularly the case when it comes to the Edward River Village project.

Racked by guilt at letting the community down, Cr Burge has instead asked for a leave of absence from council while she considers her longer-term options.

Cr Fogarty, a former mayor and the most experienced councillor, is also on leave after telling the Pastoral Times she had cause to consider her future on council following a leave of absence request issue in March this year.

Cr Fogarty issued an apology for one meeting held on March 26, and assumed it would be extended to an extraordinary meeting called at the last minute to immediately precede the original meeting.

But it was not accepted by Cr Betts, which led to a heated exchange between the mayor and Cr Harold Clapham during which Cr Betts was labelled “heartless” and Cr Clapham was asked by the mayor to leave the council chambers.

This was all caught on council livestream, and resulted in some members of the community calling for Cr Betts to stand down. She refused.

Cr Burge said she has felt for some time that any matter she brings to council is dismissed immediately, leading her to ask “why do I bother?”.

On the Edward River Village project alone, she says she has tried to raise concerns about costings and processes multiple times but feels she is being ignored.

She resigned from the Seniors Living Precinct council committee due to what she claimed was a lack of financial disclosure.

At last week’s council meeting, Cr Burge moved a notice of motion to have the committee dissolved and all decisions regarding the facility made at a council level and involving all councillors.

She said this would not only improve accountability on the project, it would ensure that all councillors are adequately informed of and involved in the process.

She said that has not been the case to date, with details discussed at those committee meetings not always shared with the three councillors who do not sit on the committee.

The motion was lost, with Cr Burge making reference to a ‘bloc mentality’ form of voting that has existed in the council for some time.

“I hit the now infamous brick wall of the mayor’s bloc, who want to remain with the same process that has put us where we are today; a process I believe will cause further financial issue,” said Cr Burge, who specifically asked that it be noted she is not speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the council.

“I no longer have respect or find I can work comfortably with such a bloc mentality as we have on ERC.

“I accept that I may not be right and that I may not get my way, that’s normal democracy and I am the first to encourage animated debate, but I cannot move forward while we have a ‘follow the leader at all costs mentality’, which I refuse to be a part of it.

“I wish to apologise to the ratepayers of ERC that I no longer have the strength left to argue against a group that has not accepted responsibility for the state the village is in nor the responsibility for their own actions.

“As councillors we are responsible for the resolutions made just as we are equally responsible for not passing basic resolutions like on Tuesday that could have encouraged a solution.

“I have to consider my health and welfare as well, and I need to take time to consider my future on a council that ignores policy and is blatantly non inclusive.”

Cr Burge’s motion came after all councillors were provided with a report on the Edward River Village by interim CEO Gary Arnold, who was appointed after the council terminated former CEO Phil Stone’s contract.

It is believed that it was the first time some councillors, if not all, had seen the full costings of the project.

The report has not been made public.

“I have continually raised concerns regarding this committee and my attempts for full financial disclosure were ignored both by the former CEO and Mayor Betts, an excuse being that if they told the council group it would end up in the paper.

“My response to that was that is exactly where it should have been all along.

“Edward River Village is a community project, yet the community and some councillors had no knowledge of the financial situation we were in until the arrival of acting CEO Gary Arnold.

“On May 7 I finally gained access to what we can only assume is the actual cost of the ERV. I have absolute praise for the actions of Gary Arnold in producing these figures as soon as was possible after my request.

“I had requested the same from the leadership team of Betts and Stone on at least eight different occasions over a two year period. I was denied this even when I asked in accordance with policy and procedure.

“I am frustrated at the complete lack of transparency and policy, control and agenda and most of all accountabilities of this ERV committee to the people of Deniliquin.

“The items never bought before council were issues with the civil works, the hiring of the real estate agent and subsequent payments to said agent, a letter from a former mayor expressing serious concern over the village never presented to the council group for discussion, alleged failure to comply with and adhere to developmental procedures/certifications, what appears to be loose initial assessment of the site, the subsequent disappearance of project managers resulting in the ex CEO proclaiming himself to be the project manager, the non disclosure of all associated consultant and project manager costings and the timely withholding of an assessment by ARIC (Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee) of the situation in December 2021 until we had voted for the development to proceed, all the while being told ARIC were in favour while in fact they were asking for further financial information.”

In speaking to Cr Burge’s motion at last week’s meeting, Cr Betts said she felt the impediments to knowledge sharing had been removed and so felt the committee should continue.

“I don't think council, this committee, has made decisions outside of the scope that they were allowed,” Cr Betts said.

“Were they asked for their guidance on certain things? Absolutely, but as everything provided to us at the briefing shows, every decision made by council has been a resolution of the whole council. Whether people voted for or against it, that's the way it's been.

“I've had the luxury of being the person that's been part of this since my term on council, and the previous one, and this is an inherited project from the Deniliquin (Council) days, a long time ago, and it's always been a committee.

“And I commend this council and the committee for taking it forward, because otherwise like so many other things in this community we just get left behind.

“It's always been understood that it's a long term project and it's about trying to provide that gap in our community for the people most deserving.

“I'm also confident, I'm more than confident, that any obstruction to information received to councillors has been removed and I think what we're going to see moving forward is a very open, honest and transparent approach to how we go about it.

“Does that mean that we need to disband the committee? No, I actually don't think we do because the committee doesn't make decisions.

“But I do feel that, I think we all deserve to be a part of the committee. You are always welcome to observe, as you've always done Councillor Burge, and when it comes back to council for a decision you get to have your say.”

Local Government elections will be held September 14 this year, with nominations for candidates opening on August 5.

Councils will enter a caretaker period on August 16, which means the council cannot make any decisions after this date.